ESPN personality Pat McAfee has come under fire for invoking the name of infamous sex abuser Dr. Larry Nassar when making a joke about Michigan State’s football uniforms.
McAfee, the recent recipient of a massive contract to host his podcast on ESPN, attempted to make a joke about the new alternate uniforms saying, “I think Nassar was in on the design team actually.”
I think Nassar was in on the design team actually
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 30, 2023
Nassar, a former physician for Michigan State and Team USA Gymnastics, was recently convicted and sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. for sexually assaulting over 250 females, many of them children.
Former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar appears in court for his final sentencing phase in Eaton County Circuit Court on February 5, 2018, in Charlotte, Michigan. (RENA LAVERTY/AFP via Getty Images)
Twitter users were quick to voice their disapproval of the joke.
It’s just so refreshing to know that media companies like ESPN would rather employ clowns and clickbait artists like McAfee than actual talented writers and reporters with integrity.
— John Whiticar (@Whiticar) July 30, 2023
ESPN fired people to clear money for this guy https://t.co/2BaL5fktCl
— Ishmael Johnson (@IshmaelRJohnson) July 30, 2023
When I prayed on Pat McAfee’s downfall I didn’t expect it to come from a “joke” about sexual assault on 265 women including kids https://t.co/zhy3PMhzis
— Molly (@FSUmollz) July 30, 2023
Pretty dope how we’re never gonna hear Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mike Breen together ever again so ESPN could let this guy yell cuzzo at us https://t.co/8flGrhsFha
— WBR (@W_B_Rick) July 30, 2023
Just insane that this tweet hasn’t been deleted yet https://t.co/W0EwReaHOP
— Greg Waddell (@gwizzy12) July 30, 2023
It’s unclear why McAfee chose to use Nassar’s name in the joke. The podcaster and former NFL punter signed a 5-year $85 million contract with ESPN earlier this summer. As of the time of this writing, McAfee has not deleted the tweet, nor has ESPN made any public comment.