Pat McAfee addressed reports that he had been advised to wear a bulletproof vest last year following the Sept. 10, 2025 assassination of Charlie Kirk and the current climate that has led the sports talk personality to receive vile messages on social media. 

On Tuesday, multiple outlets reported that McAfee was advised by the FBI to wear a bulletproof vest a week after the killing of the 31-year-old right-wing political activist. McAfee, 39, clarified in a lengthy social media post that the idea came from “one of the security groups.”

“I haven’t talked to anybody about what the days were like leading up to Tennessee’s ‘GameDay’ last year,” McAfee wrote on X. “There’s been some misreporting but in the ball park articles. Everybody in the ‘security’ world was worried of a copycat incident potentially happening. ‘GameDay’ was a few days out and we were the next huge gathering on a campus. The world, in front of the entire internet, just proved that we had gotten to a rather extreme place.

“The FBI.. alongside, Disney security, Tennessee State Police, Knoxville PD, University Police, everybody in area, all had the very same goal to protect the s–t out of the area. FBI snipers were sent down there, huge presence of police.. it was a surreal moment. The conversation about the death threats I had been receiving in life was definitely a huge topic. I don’t think it was the FBI that suggested the [bulletproof vest], but it was certainly an idea presented by one of the security groups. We had no idea what to expect. Nobody had been in that type of situation before. Everybody wanted the best for everybody. I never felt safer and never felt more appreciative of the people that were around me that morning including the students that came out and did WAY more than they could’ve ever imagined for my soul.”

In his post, McAfee shared several screenshots of disturbing messages that he has received this month from users on social media platforms, including one that wrote they “won’t be happy until” the former kicker was dead and “thrown off an aircraft  carrier.” 

A direct message McAfee shared used homophobic slurs while threatening violence toward the sports media personality. 

“Once you’re knocked unconscious on one of your cowboy boots will be shoved down your f–king throat,” part of the unhinged message read. 

“I’ve stayed away from my mentions and DM’s this month since these back to back days but.. I’m sure if I went in there now, I’d find some wishes for and threats of death for me,” McAfee wrote on X. ”‘Don’t read them.’ They’re everywhere.

“Annnd.. They still exist though right? I just don’t know the person is in Ohio then? That’s where I’m at now.”

McAfee made headlines over the weekend after he had a toned-down show on “College GameDay” while at the University of Utah. 

McAfee was frustrated by a video that included students from the school poking fun at him. The ex-Colts punter said in his post that, on the heels of a critical New York Times article, he got “a bit f–ked up” when “a university puts a video out from their own page, indicating ‘we think he’s a corny creep here.’”

“It’s a weird time. The things that get said about what my daughter and son and wife deserve are all rather wild as well,” McAfee wrote. 

The University of Utah has since apologized for the video that McAfee had derided. 

While one student did call him corny in the video, no one referred to McAfee as creepy, despite him saying that in the post and when he addressed the topic on his eponymous ESPN show on Monday. 

In closing, McAfee wrote that he was nowhere “near perfect” but never thought life would go down this road from his fame. 

“I was created on the internet. I’ve been “cooked” and s–t talked and criticized since I have memories,” McAfee wrote. “I am [nowhere] near perfect.. and there’s no way everybody is gonna agree with me but I had no idea that this is just what life would become.

“I’m trying my best in real time but.. I am to talk about sports and care about the future of sports. I owe everything to sports. I’m grateful as hell to do what I do. I literally try to love every minute of the incredible opportunities I get to experience but.. it’s certainly all a much different life than I could’ve ever expected.

“I try to give everything I have, all the time.. I am very sorry to those that despise me.”