News

Pat McAfee Drops Major Tease Ahead Of WWE SmackDown

By John Canton • Published Apr 09, 2026 19:00 EDT
Pat McAfee WWE SmackDown
Pat McAfee WWE SmackDown - ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 3 during SmackDown at Enterprise Center (Photo by WWE/WWE)

Pat McAfee is headed to WWE SmackDown one week after a shocking return to television.

The rivalry between the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton became personal when Orton turned heel and attacked his former buddy Cody, signifying Orton’s first heel turn in several years. That was done to spice up the story for WrestleMania 42 when Rhodes defends the WWE Title against Orton.

What fans didn’t expect was for Pat McAfee to show up as the “man talking to Randy Orton on the phone” while motivating Orton to embrace more of his “Viper” side. McAfee not only helped Orton beat up Rhodes on the April 3rd edition of WWE SmackDown, but McAfee claimed that Orton winning a 15th WWE World Title would save WWE.

Fan reaction to McAfee showing up to help Orton was not positive. There are a lot of people angry at WWE’s creative team for ruining the story by involving McAfee, who has been mostly a babyface wrestler and announcer in WWE over the last five years.

It was also reported that TKO Chairman & CEO Ari Emanuel is the one who pushed for WWE to use Pat McAfee in this angle since Emanuel believes strongly in McAfee, who hosts a sports talk show on YouTube and ESPN. Since WWE PLEs air on ESPN in the United States, Emanuel wants McAfee to have a presence at this year’s WrestleMania, and now he’ll have it.

Pat McAfee Teases A “Massive Surprise” Is Coming To WWE SmackDown

In a post on social media, former WWE announcer and NFL punter Pat McAfee is making it clear he’ll be on the April 10th edition of SmackDown, and he has a massive surprise.

Randy Orton is gonna save the business for future generations of wrestling fans. That’s so incredible to think about.. Very rarely do these types of obviously monumental moments happen in our lifetime.

My daughter and baby boy on the way are gonna have a WWE that is thriving.. a WWE that is the greatest form of entertainment on Earth, bar none, because the top of the company is gonna be exactly what it’s supposed to be.

A man sent DIRECTLY from the Wrestling AND Sports Entertainment Gods will be properly leading the business once again.

It is my honor to serve the future generations of wrestling fans as I motivate The 🐐, Randy Orton to not only become 15 TIME WORLD CHAMPION but also, become a man who saved his family’s business.

WrestleMania Saturday Night is gonna be The most Historic Night in the HISTORY of sports.. SO MUCH ON THE LINE. Multi-Generational pressure comes to a head. Randy will prevail… for all of us 🙏🏻

See also… I have a MASSIVE SURPRISE to announce tomorrow night.

You’ll start thanking me and Randy soon enough for all of this.

SEE YOU IN SAN JOSE

On WWE’s website, they are promoting multiple segments involving WrestleMania 42 matches.

  • How will Cody Rhodes respond to assault by Randy Orton and Pat McAfee?
  • Drew McIntyre promises to expose the real Jacob Fatu on SmackDown
  • Sami Zayn will be out for payback on Trick Williams

Also, Royce Keys (fka Powerhouse Hobbs in AEW) will be making his official SmackDown debut in San Jose. The native Californian will be in his home state and could look to make a huge impact just eight days before WrestleMania 42.