Pat McAfee Is Gone From ‘WWE Raw’ — Here’s Why

Pat McAfee is no longer on WWE Raw. The longtime commentator got real about how he overworked himself and eventually needed to take some time out for himself.

“It’s a great business, it’s a cool business, it’s a fun business, and the live events they put on are outrageous,” he said on a recent episode of his podcast. “I was lucky whenever I was commentating…I got real tired.”

He explained that he had such a jampacked schedule, that he found himself unable to keep up. “I crashed. I hit a wall. I’d been going since Dublin,” he added. “And they started RAW early, and I’m like an energy guy, and I don’t need a lot of sleep to operate. I’ve always been like that. And I had just got the Money in the Bank in LA. I was on the East Coast for TST, and then I went down to Paris Island, and then I went to LA for Money in the Bank, and I could just feel it. I was like, ‘Oh my God, my brain is not operating right now.’”

“I had talked to others who’d experienced mental exhaustion before, whenever they had it,” he continued. “I knew this moment was coming. I knew it was going to happen at some point. As Money in the Bank was happening, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is it! I’ve finally hit it.’”

As someone who thrived on adrenaline, he says it was only a matter of time before he experienced burnout. “And I never thought it was going to happen, but you add my daughter, wanting to be around the daily show, the travel. And then also, and I know wrestling fans don’t think this, but I was trying to put everybody over with maximum effort…every time. That, with the travel, with me not getting back until like 2-3 am…” he continued. 

He explained that he slowed down overall, starting with not participating in Monday Night Raw, which helped his schedule and to get more rest. He quickly realized that the show goes on regardless, so it’s better for him to take care of himself in the meantime.