Additional Coverage:
- Pat McAfee announces his debut album. For real. ‘Finding my singing voice has been fun’ (latimes.com)
Pat McAfee Set to Release Debut Album “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure” in August
Pat McAfee, the former Indianapolis Colts punter turned media personality, is preparing to add musician to his diverse résumé. Known for his energetic presence on ESPN as a host and analyst, as well as his past involvement with WWE and popular podcasts, McAfee is now venturing into the music world with his first full album.
Announced on Wednesday, “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure” will drop on August 14, marking a collaboration with country singer-songwriter Ernest. McAfee revealed that the album reflects years of personal experience dealing with criticism and public scrutiny.
“For as long as I can remember, my mere existence has made people hate my guts,” McAfee shared in a social media post. “I’ve been writing songs about it for 20 years, and it’s time to let them out. A lot of headlines and narratives… if I were to die, I’d like my kids to know exactly who their dad is.”
Despite McAfee’s widespread popularity-he is reportedly negotiating a lucrative contract extension with ESPN worth over $60 million annually-the album will focus on the polarizing aspects of his public persona. The timing of the announcement, coming just a day after layoffs at ESPN, has drawn some criticism online, which McAfee acknowledged in a brief social media response.
During an episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” he elaborated on the motivation behind the music project: “A lot of things are being said about me at this exact moment. People will hear my responses through these songs because these situations have been happening to me my whole life. Since elementary school, I’ve had people who just don’t like me because I’m too loud and everything like that.”
McAfee’s musical journey began last December with the release of the country-rock single “Dookie,” also a collaboration with Ernest, under DeVille Records / Big Loud Records. Ernest has revealed that they have recorded eight or nine songs together, describing McAfee’s style as “locker room hype” that fits well in sports video games.
While it’s not uncommon for athletes to explore music careers, it’s rarer among sports broadcasters. McAfee joins a unique group, with figures like John Tesh and Terry Bradshaw-who also had success in country and gospel music-being notable examples.
McAfee shared that many of the album’s songs were penned over two decades in his phone’s notes app. “There’s a lot of very personal stuff in here. Finding my singing voice has been fun and a blast,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Nashville community that helped bring the project to life.
With the release date approaching, McAfee’s fans can expect an intimate look at the man behind the microphone-both the athlete and the artist-through this new musical endeavor.