WWE Announces New Addition to 'SmackDown' Broadcast Team

WWE has made a change to the Friday Night SmackDown broadcast team. On Friday, WWE announced that former NFL punter and podcaster Pat McAfee will be the new analyst for SmackDown starting tonight. McAfee shared the news on his Twitter page Friday morning.

"For as long as I can remember WWE has been a company that I have admired, both for its incredible staying power of creating riveting entertainment and for its ability to connect people all over the globe," McAfee said. "I've been fortunate to try a lot of cool professions but working for WWE was the one I looked forward to most. I am incredibly honored and grateful for the chance to give back to the business that has given me and many others so much and having the opportunity to sit at the same table that legends have graced is truly a dream come true. Now let's go get it."

Good morning beautiful people...

TONIGHT a dream comes true. Thank you all so so much for following along with this dumb ass life I’ve been incredibly fortunate to live.. I’m grateful for it all.

🗣🗣 Let’s enjoy this thing

Be a friend, tell a friend #PatsUpToSomethin pic.twitter.com/pRWzIxLBGb

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 16, 2021

McAfee will join Michael Cole, VP of WWE's on-air announce talent and voice of Friday Night SmackDown, every week. He takes the place of Corey Graves, who is now an analyst on Monday Night Raw with Byron Saxton and Adnan Virk who made his debut this past Monday. This is all part of the broadcast shakeup that led to Tom Philips moving from Raw to 205 Live. Additionally, Samoa Joe, who was part of the Raw broadcast team, was released by the company on Thursday.

McAfee is known for having a big personality who is not afraid to share his opinions. He was drafted by Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the NFL Draft back in 2009. He spent his entire career (eight seasons) with the Colts and was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2014, 2016) as well as the All-Pro First Team (2014).

After football, McAfee began his broadcasting career and can currently be seen on The Pat McAfee Show, which is simulcast both on YouTube and on Sirius XM Channel 82 Mad Dog Sports Radio. He also has appeared on WWE programming dating back to 2018 and has performed inside the ring. The 33-year-old took on Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver XXX in August, and despite losing, many praised McAfee for his work against one of the best pro wrestlers in the world.