Pat McAfee joins Donald Trump during 2026 Patriot Games entrance, sits next to him during event - FPSHUB

Former Indianapolis Colts punter and now ESPN podcast host Pat McAfee attended the 2026 Patriot Games with Donald Trump.

McAfee has previously had Trump on his show and even took his show to Washington, D.C. for the UFC White House event at Trump’s and Dana White’s behest.

However, few would have expected McAfee to be right next to the President of the United States during the 2026 Patriot Games.

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Pat McAfee walks out with Donald Trump during 2026 Patriot Games opening ceremony

To mark the finals of the 2026 Patriot Games, US President Donald Trump walked out alongside legendary NFL punter Pat McAfee.

The pair led the eight athletes competing for $250,000 in scholarship money through the opening ceremony at the event in Geneva, Ohio.

McAfee and Trump were also spotted sitting together, taking in the event later on, which came as a surprise, as many expected Trump to be surrounded by his political allies rather than the former Colts star.

Trump would also take part in the closing ceremony, where he congratulated Kennadi Fuhrman of Kansas and Rockwell Myers of Utah for winning the 2026 Patriot Games.

However, McAfee was not seen next to Trump during the award ceremony, perhaps choosing to hold himself back from the pivotal moment.

In the past, McAfee had Trump on his show via telephone, hoping to get a message from him on Veterans Day directed towards the sports world.

However, he and other members of The Pat McAfee Show have come under fire for their association with Trump in the aftermath of these interactions.

In response, McAfee defended inviting Trump, noting that the occasion of Veterans Day justified him speaking to the President, and that he didn’t have political intent behind it.

“I would like to say, though, for the media people that are going to be mad about that happening, that’s the President of the United States. It’s Veterans Day.

“He’s the Commander-in-Chief. Obviously, if we’re going to have the opportunity to talk to him, we’re going to… And he’s hilarious! Listening to him talk about sports is cool. Because I think he is a legit sports fan.”

While McAfee might maintain his apolitical stance beyond this event, him standing right next to the President and taking in an event at his invitation doesn’t exactly corroborate his stance.

It’s highly unlikely that McAfee will be too concerned with the backlash, as he has made it abundantly clear over the last year that he isn’t going to change his tune even if he faces criticism.