JJ Watt put Pat McAfee on the spot over his reported contract negotiations as ESPN carried out a sweeping round of layoffs. During a July 21 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the former Houston Texans star jokingly questioned whether ESPN had dismissed employees to fund McAfee’s next deal. Although the exchange was lighthearted, McAfee made it clear that he was uncomfortable with the suggestion that his program was responsible for colleagues losing their jobs.

JJ Watt Calls Out Pat McAfee’s Reported $100 Million Ask

Watt appeared through video chat to accept “The Pat McAfee Show’s” “1st Team All-Good Guy Award.” Instead of simply accepting the honor, the 37-year-old immediately brought up the difficult day unfolding across ESPN.

“So slow news day over there on the ESPN airwaves, huh? I mean, besides the fact that you’re getting $100 million…,” Watt told McAfee while smiling.

The remark seemingly referenced reports that McAfee’s representatives opened contract-extension negotiations by proposing a deal worth $100 million annually.

The $100 million figure is not McAfee’s confirmed salary or a finalized contract. ESPN and McAfee’s representatives were reportedly negotiating a possible extension in the $60 million to $65 million annual range, with no deal completed at the time of the report.

“You’re ticking everybody off,” Watt teased.

McAfee jokingly warned him, “Don’t do that. You’re going to lose the [1st Team All-Good Guy] award with what you’re doing.”

Watt Asks If ESPN Fired Employees To Pay McAfee

Watt refused to let the subject go. “Did they keep anybody, or is everybody fired to pay you? I’m trying to figure it out,” the former defensive end asked.

McAfee laughed before defending his show and its supporting cast. “That’s not funny. That is not funny. We do not like that,” McAfee said. “We do not appreciate that. That is the narrative, and I’m certainly taking it on the shins. The boys and I are very proud of the work that we have done.”

The exchange reflected a broader backlash surrounding the timing of McAfee’s reported negotiations. The massive figures entered public discussion shortly before ESPN dismissed several prominent employees, turning McAfee into an easy target for criticism.

However, there is no evidence that McAfee’s negotiations directly caused any particular employee’s dismissal. His ESPN arrangement also reportedly covers more than his individual on-air compensation. Barrett Media reported that his existing deal includes a licensing agreement for “The Pat McAfee Show,” plus separate contracts for “College GameDay” and other contributions.

ESPN’s YouTube Version Reportedly Removed Watt’s Remarks

Watt’s comments appear to have been excluded from the version of the interview ESPN later uploaded to YouTube. PEOPLE reported that the salary and layoff exchange was missing from the edited upload. The publication did not report why the segment was removed. That omission attracted attention because the comments directly addressed the criticism McAfee was receiving while ESPN’s layoffs dominated sports media news.

During the live discussion, McAfee acknowledged that he was “taking it on the shins” over the reported negotiations. He nevertheless emphasized that he remained proud of what his team had built.

McAfee did not confirm that he had agreed to a $100 million annual contract.

ESPN Parts Ways With Several High-Profile Personalities

The network’s cuts affected on-air personalities at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, as well as on-air and behind-the-scenes employees at NFL Network. The announced departures included NFL analyst Ryan Clark, “First Take” contributor Cam Newton, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, and longtime ESPN baseball broadcaster Karl Ravech.

The Athletic reported that the layoffs involved ESPN employees and a larger number of workers at NFL Network. The network’s restructuring made Watt’s timing especially pointed: He raised McAfee’s proposed contract on the same day employees learned whether they would remain with the company.

ESPN Chairman Calls The Layoffs ‘Difficult Decisions’

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro addressed the cuts in an internal memo sent to employees on Tuesday. “Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN,” Pitaro wrote. “Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future.”

“As a result, we had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today,” he continued. “Even in moments like these, the strength of ESPN comes from our people, our teamwork and our shared mission to serve sports fans.”

The memo tied the cuts to ESPN’s evaluation of its combined resources and structure following the integration of NFL assets. It did not blame McAfee or his contract discussions for the layoffs.

The JJ Watt Calls Out Pat McAfee During Awkward ESPN Exchange first appeared on The Blast