ESPN personality Pat McAfee was given some concerning security advice following the death of late conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk.
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McAfee Was Advised to Consider Wearing a Bulletproof Vest
After Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University in September 2025, the College GameDay host was allegedly encouraged by members of his security team to wear a bulletproof vest while in public. This, according to a Tuesday (October 27) report from Front Office Sports (via PEOPLE).
Front Office Sports initially reported that the FBI made the recommendation. However, McAfee later clarified that he did not believe the FBI specifically suggested the vest, saying the idea came from one of the security groups working with him.
The report comes days after McAfee and the rest of the ESPN College GameDay crew visited the University of Utah. During parts of the live taping on Saturday (October 24), the former Indianapolis Colts kicker was booed by members of the crowd.
McAfee later noted that he felt "uncomfortable" during his visit to Utah, due in large part to a video that the university put out on its social media page in which students appeared to mock the star sports analyst.
"You know why I didn't like it mostly? Right before I go out there, I see the University of Utah's Instagram page. They put out an impression of Pat McAfee, and one kid goes, 'Ah, he's corny.' Another kid calls me creepy," McAfee said during the Monday (October 26) episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
"If these kids would have done this on their own blogs, all good. Everybody's taking shots at me, anyways, for everything. I get it. If the two ladies that were hosting put that out on their own blog, I'd be okay with it. You're allowed to do what you do. The university puts that out? Like as I'm about to go out and do an infomercial for the place? And then I'm walking in front of thousands of these people. This is how the university feels about it? It's an uncomfortable feeling."
McAfee also referenced Kirk's killing while explaining why the university's post bothered him, questioning whether the school should amplify criticism of him shortly before he appeared in front of a large crowd.
University Apologizes to ESPN Host
Following McAfee's comments, the university released a statement apologizing to the ESPN host over the video.
"We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus," the university said in a statement on social media late Monday (October 26).
"Nothing could be further from the truth. Pat and the entire GameDay crew are always welcome at the University of Utah, and we deeply appreciate the opportunity ESPN provides to showcase our university and community," the statement added.
College GameDay will head to Bloomington, Indiana, for Week 9 on Saturday (October 31), ahead of Indiana's matchup with Minnesota.
