‘I Can Relate’: Ex-ESPN Stars React to Pat McAfee-Norby Williamson Fued
Jemele Hill took to X to say she could relate to Pat McAfee.
Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The day after ESPN analyst Pat McAfee accused ESPN Executive Editor Norby Williamson of attempting to sabotage his show, former network talents and ESPN itself shared their thoughts on the feud.
On Friday, McAfee told co-host A.J. Hawk he believes Williamson, who is also the network’s Head of Event and Studio Production, is working to tank The Pat McAfee Show.
“We’re very thankful for the ESPN folks for being very hospitable,” McAfee said. “Now, there are some people actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN. More specifically, I believe, Norby Williamson is the guy who is attempting to sabotage our program,” McAfee said.
McAfee has been under fire for his segment with Aaron Rodgers in which the NFL star suggested that TV host Jimmy Kimmel would be on the list of Jeffrey Epstein associates released by a judge. Kimmel was not named in the documents and threatened legal action against Rodgers for even suggesting that he might be linked to the pedophile.
Jemele Hill, the former SportsCenter host who was suspended over her Trump-related tweets in 2017, took to X to say she empathized with McAfee.
“I can relate,” Hill wrote.
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Well well well…😂
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) January 5, 2024
Michelle Beadle, who once hosted ESPN’s Get Up! and later took a buyout from the network, replied to Hill’s tweet, writing “Well, well, well…”
ESPN on Saturday issued its own response to the drama unfolding inside its network.
“No one is more committed to and invested in ESPN’s success than Norby Williamson,” ESPN said in a statement. “At the same time, we are thrilled with the multi-platform success that we have seen from the Pat McAfee Show across ESPN.”
A statement from ESPN:
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 6, 2024
“No one is more committed to and invested in ESPN’s success than Norby Williamson...We are thrilled with the multi-platform success that we have seen from Pat McAfee Show across ESPN. We will handle this matter internally and have no further comment.”
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