By JACK BEZANTS

Pat McAfee reportedly banned NFL insider Adam Schefter from his show after his ESPN colleague snubbed him for a rival program in March.

The claim was made by the New York Times on Thursday morning. ESPN, in a statement reported by the publication, called it a ‘rumor’ and lashed out at people ‘seemingly obsessed with wanting to see Pat fail on ESPN.’

The Times said that McAfee was unhappy when Schefter turned down an appearance on his show because he was already appearing on an ESPN2 free agency special.

The report also says Schefter will return to McAfee’s show for the first time since the March incident later on Thursday. 

McAfee, 38, signed an $85million deal with ESPN in 2023 for his hugely popular ‘Pat McAfee Show’. His ESPN colleague Schefter, meanwhile, is widely considered the most respected and distinguished NFL reporter in the business.

Amid McAfee’s unhappiness with Schefter, Ian Rapoport has been a regular in his place. 

Pat McAfee reportedly banned ESPN colleague Adam Schefter from his show back in March

Pat McAfee reportedly banned ESPN colleague Adam Schefter from his show back in March

But amid McAfee’s popularity, he has also been a cause of controversy in his time at ESPN. 

He welcomes Aaron Rodgers as a weekly guest during the NFL season, where the quarterback has regularly peddled conspiracy theories.

McAfee was also slammed for spreading a fake viral internet rumor on his show that Ole Miss student Mary Kate Cornett, 18, had an affair with her boyfriend’s father.

The vicious rumors sparked a FBI investigation, with the Cornett family considering legal action against anyone who initially shared it online.

‘I’m not a public figure that you can go talk about on your show to get more views,’ the 18-year-old told NBC. 

She went on to say that McAfee ‘never once reached out to ask me if this was true or for me to give any sort of statement to him.’

‘I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that an ESPN sports broadcaster would be talking about a 19-year-old girl’s “sex scandal” that was completely false,’ she said.

Worst of all, Cornett claimed she’s been harassed by strangers calling her a ‘whore’ or ‘slut’ over an internet rumor that has ‘zero truth to it.’

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Explosive report claims angry Pat McAfee banned Adam Schefter from his ESPN show

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk