Mike Foss says McAfee's access and instincts make him "a journalist at heart" and has nothing to say to critics of his College GameDay role.
ESPN executive vice president Mike Foss gave Pat McAfee a full-throated endorsement this week, describing the former NFL punter turned media personality as "generational" when asked to sum him up in one word.
Speaking at the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit in New York, Foss explained what sets McAfee apart. "It's funny, I think he might be a journalist at heart," Foss said. He pointed to how McAfee assembles his daily show, noting that once something "piques his interest," McAfee has "the rolodex" to land access that most others in sports media simply don't have. That access has extended well beyond locker rooms, with McAfee landing interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities and even President Donald Trump.
Foss, who joined ESPN in 2017 and was promoted to executive vice president and executive editor this past May, also addressed the ongoing criticism of McAfee's role on College GameDay. Asked what he'd say to those critics, Foss didn't hesitate. "Absolutely nothing," he told Front Office Sports' Mike McCarthy, making clear the network has no plans to curb McAfee's expanding presence across its programming.