ESPN is under intense pressure after a major women’s advocacy organization publicly demanded the immediate firing of Pat McAfee, the network’s outspoken sports host and former NFL punter, following his explosive on-air insult directed at WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
The controversy erupted after McAfee, during a heated segment of The Pat McAfee Show, referred to Clark as a “white b****” while discussing her recent performances and rising celebrity status. The remark was met with stunned silence from his co-hosts, but outrage from viewers quickly flooded social media.
Within hours, McAfee issued an apology via X (formerly Twitter), calling his comment “a poor attempt at humor” and admitting it was “completely inappropriate.” But the apology did little to quell the backlash — and now, a powerful women’s rights group says it’s not enough.
“This is not just about one word — it’s about the normalization of sexist, racist, and degrading language toward women in sports,” the group’s statement read. “ESPN must take immediate and decisive action. That means Pat McAfee should no longer represent their brand.”
The statement went on to accuse ESPN of “turning a blind eye to toxic locker-room culture” and warned that failing to address McAfee’s comments with serious consequences would “send a chilling message to female athletes everywhere.”
The network has yet to issue an official response, but internal sources say executives are holding urgent discussions about how to handle the situation, weighing the massive popularity of McAfee’s show against the growing public relations crisis.
Caitlin Clark herself has not commented on the incident, but several prominent athletes, both male and female, have voiced their support for her and condemned McAfee’s remark as “disrespectful” and “way over the line.”
The controversy has reignited broader conversations about sexism in sports media — and whether star personalities like McAfee are given too much leeway because of their ratings power.
For now, ESPN faces a decision that could either put out the fire — or turn it into a full-blown inferno.
