Pat McAfee has criticised the ESPYS for including Prince Harry among its nominees for the Pat Tilman Service Award, and also lamented that Americans were not considered in the selection process.
Addressing rumors surrounding the Duke of Sussex’s selection for the prestigious award, which is given to an “individual with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger,” the ESPN analyst wasn’t afraid to speak before the network’s event committee on Friday.
Much has been said about the name of Pat Tillman. American hero… Now there is an award named after him, as there should be in the world of sports, because he is someone who is the definition of selfless,” McAfee said at the beginning.
“It’s going to be given to him by Prince Harry, who I don’t even think is a prince anymore… He said don’t call me that,” McAfee joked in a subtle dig at King Charles’ estranged son, then added: “See, what? Why do the ESPYS do this shit?”
After Pat McAfee Show cast member ‘Boston Connor’ described Prince Harry’s nomination for the award as ‘probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life,’ McAfee questioned whether the ESPY Awards committee You did your homework in finding candidates first.
Pat McAfee expressed his displeasure that Prince Harry was tipped for an ESPY on ESPN on Friday
According to information found online, award winners are chosen solely “through a global online fan vote among candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee.”
“When you do something like that, you know the immediate reaction from humans, sports fans and people with common sense and brains is going to be something like, ‘Hey, don’t put our fucking guy with that guy,'” McAfee said before sharing his insight on Prince Harry, who founded the Invictus Games and served in the British Army.
‘I don’t know anything about him except the South Park episode and what I learned from Crown.
But his people knew that ‘you guys publicly nominated me for this award.’ You’re basically asking every single person who considers themselves an American and saying ‘this is nonsense.’ Especially in a sports kind of award… I guess he knew that. You didn’t expect that?’
McAfee then mentioned the 2023 ESPYS, when he delivered an opening monologue at the awards show and said that “the people who run the ESPYs… weren’t necessarily excited about any of it,” referring to Prince Harry’s nomination for the Pat Tillman Award.
“We should celebrate sports,” the former Colts punter added. “World leaders should celebrate sports, but to do something like this is obviously trying to piss people off. And it’s like there have been numerous decisions about this type of thing over the last, what? Decade?”
The Pat Tilman Award is typically given to a “person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that reflects the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger.”
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games, a global multi-sport event for military men and women, wounded, injured and ill, both serving and veterans, and served in the British Army.
“And I think it’s just one person who is in charge of all this. It’s like, come on, bro…”
A second McAfee on-air cast member, Ty Schmitt, also added fuel to the fire on Friday, calling the ESPYS Awards “a gimmick.”
“It’s like you can’t find an active member of the U.S. military or someone who can no longer serve because of something they did while serving,” Schmitt added.
“There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people who could have benefited from this award. But instead, let’s give the award to Prince Harry…”
In response to his friend’s point, McAfee suggested simply “making up” an award for Prince Harry.
“What if it’s like an ESPY for a member of the royal family who doesn’t want to be called a ‘member of the royal family’ and who loves sports?” she said.