Smackdown commentator Pat McAfee has revealed he has tested positive for Covid-19 on Twitter. He also announced that he would be out indefinitely. WWE has not released a statement regarding McAfee’s positive test.
Pat McAfee’s NXT Career
Despite being the current Smackdown commentator, he started his WWE career in NXT last year. He made his in-ring debut with Adam Cole at NXT Takeover 30 on August 22, 2020. His last match was a War Games match at NXT Takeover: War Games on December 6, 2020, with his teammates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan vs. the Undisputed Era.
Although his in-ring activity lasted a few months, he was praised for his ability by other WWE talents and even by WWE Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. In an interview with ESPN on December 15, 2020, Austin said, “Hey man, he puts it all on the line. He’s going for it. I think his verbal skills, he’s slaying everybody, but he’s not afraid to go out there and put it all on the line. You wouldn’t expect it from a guy who goes out there and kicks a football.”
New Role as Smackdown Commentator
He joined the Smackdown roster as a commentator on April 16th. Paired with Michael Cole, he has received praise for his work. Cole, who has been with the WWE for nearly 25 years, credits McAfee with revitalizing his career on the Pat McAfee Show.
When sharing what makes McAfee different from past co-workers, Cole said, “…You’re different than all of those guys because you’re a true fan and you bring that enthusiasm to the product, and seeing how you’ve been acting over the past couple of months has really revitalized what I do, and I realize that I have to step up my game to keep up with what you’re doing from an enthusiastic standpoint and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
McAfee’s last appearance was at Summerslam at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 21st.
It’s unclear who will replace him while he recovers, but now another question remains that could potentially lead to other WWE talent indefinitely off WWE programming. Was there any WWE talent in contact with him in the last five days before his positive diagnosis?
