You knew it was only a matter of time.

When ESPN announced last May that podcaster, YouTube star and former NFL punter Pat McAfee was bringing his popular sports show to the network, everyone wondered how long it would be before ESPN had a controversy on its hands.

Why was that? Well, ESPN is owned by Disney. It’s corporate, it’s buttoned-up, and it tries to stay clear of controversy. McAfee is a bit of a bro, wearing tank tops, talking off the cuff while cursing and sometimes riffing without thinking.

It was bad enough that he paid NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers to come on the show to say whatever goofy conspiracies and theories popped into his egomaniacal mind, including dumb and irresponsible comments about COVID-19 and vaccines. But now McAfee has put ESPN in the awkward position that we all figured was going to happen eventually.

Of course, it started with Rodgers, who has had a bit of a feud with late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. When making his weekly appearance on McAfee’s show last week, Rodgers talked about the list of clients and contacts of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that was expected to be released. Rodgers said, “There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, really hoping that doesn’t come out.”

Kimmel, whose name wasn’t on any list, was obviously furious that Rodgers implied he was connected in any way with pedophilia. Kimmel tweeted, “Dear (expletive): for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court. @AaronRodgers12”

Rodgers clearly crossed the line.

One could argue McAfee is not responsible for what a guest says. Then again, it’s his guest, and this guest often says problematic things that McAfee rarely pushes back on.

What made this even more dicey for McAfee is Rodgers went after Kimmel, whose show is on ABC, which Disney also owns. In the grand scheme of things, Kimmel is a much bigger deal to Disney than McAfee. If Kimmel wants to cause major headaches for the company, he easily could.

Which is why McAfee was quick to apologize the day after Rodgers’ appearance, saying, among other things, “Some things obviously people get very (ticked) off about, especially when they’re serious allegations. So we apologize for being a part of it. I can’t wait to hear what Aaron has to say about it. Hopefully those two will just be able to settle this, you know, not court-wise, but be able to chit-chat and move along.”

McAfee tried to play it off as smack talk gone a little too far.

This all put ESPN in a tough spot. It has a lot invested in McAfee. It values McAfee. It also realizes how important Rodgers is to McAfee’s show. Like him or not, Rodgers helps the show make noise. But it can’t have these kinds of irresponsible comments being amplified, especially about one of the company’s biggest names.

But the controversy didn’t end there.

McAfee now is accusing a top ESPN executive of trying to ruin his show. Last Friday, on air, McAfee said, “There are some people actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN. More specifically, I believe Norby Williamson (ESPN’s executive editor and head of event and studio production) is the guy attempting to sabotage our program.”

McAfee did thank ESPN in general, but he accused Willamson of feeding misinformation about the show and its viewership numbers to the media. At one point, he said he wasn’t “100% sure” it was Williamson, but went on to suggest Williamson was an “enemy within our own camp.” He added, “This guy has had zero respect for me and in return same thing back to him.”

What stunning things to say — to accuse a top executive who has been with the company for nearly four decades of trying to sabotage a show.

Just as stunning? ESPN’s reaction to it all.

In a statement, the network said, “No one is more committed to and invested in ESPN’s success than Norby Williamson. At the same time, we are thrilled with the multi-platform success that we have seen from the Pat McAfee Show across ESPN. We will handle this matter internally and have no further comment.”

Talk about walking a delicate line. ESPN managed to stick up for everyone while sticking up for no one. But mostly, the network is going overboard to not upset McAfee.

The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch writes, “ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro and president of content Burke Magnus have bet millions on McAfee. They believe in his talents, they have given his show creative freedom (McAfee staffers are not ESPN employees; the show is licensed), and have made him in short order one of the faces of the network, including a prominent role on ‘College GameDay’ (where he has been excellent, in my opinion). But management is now in a spot with no solution because there is no previous playbook for this. If they suspend McAfee, it risks blowing up the relationship. If they do nothing, it’s a message to other staffers that they are emboldened to criticize management. As of Friday night, the feeling among some senior ESPN staffers was management is going to try to mend fences between McAfee and Williamson. We’ll see if that’s possible.”

The next thing to keep an eye out for is Rodgers’ expected appearance on Tuesday.

Sunday saga

Back when he moderated NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Chuck Todd would trend on Twitter every Sunday, mostly because viewers of the show would heavily — and unfairly, in my opinion — criticize his performance.

For a second or two Sunday, Todd’s name was again trending on X. This time it was because viewers were comparing the new “MTP” moderator, Kristen Welker, to Todd. And not in a good way.

Welker was slammed Sunday for her interview with New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik. Specifically, Welker was dragged for not pushing back when Stefanik used the term “hostages” to describe those sentenced to prison for their role in the Jan. 6 insurrection

Stefanik said, “I have concerns about the treatment of Jan. 6 hostages. I have concerns, we have a role in Congress of oversight over our treatment of prisoners, and I believe we’re seeing the weaponization of the federal government against not just President Trump, but we’re seeing it against conservatives.”

To call those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 “hostages” is an outrageous claim. Welker should not have let Stefanik get away with echoing the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump.

However, aside from that one miscue, Welker performed fairly well in the interview with Stefanik, at one point showing a clip of Stefanik from Jan. 6, 2021, when Stefanik said, that “violence in any form is absolutely unacceptable,” and that “it is anti-American and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Welker did well to press Stefanik on her flip-flop and did it enough that Stefanik lost her cool, saying, “You played one excerpt of my speech. I stand by my comments that I made on the House floor. I stood up for election integrity, and I challenged and objected to the certification of the state of Pennsylvania because of the unconstitutional overreach. So I absolutely stand by my floor speech.”

Welker also did well asking Stefanik several times if she would commit to certifying the 2024 election. Stefanik never did, saying things such as, “We will see if this is a legal and valid election.”

That hostage comment

Stefanik has been rumored to be a potential running mate of Trump in the 2024 election, so it’s no surprise that she used the word “hostage” to describe those imprisoned for their unlawful behavior on Jan. 6.

Appearing on Sunday’s “Face the Nation” on CBS, former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney said Stefanik uses that word because Trump uses that word.

Cheney added, “And it’s outrageous, and it’s disgusting. And if you go and you look at what individuals have been convicted for, who are incarcerated, you’ll find (that), extensively, these are people who were involved in violence against police officers in the assault on the Capitol. And it’s disgraceful for Donald Trump to be saying what he’s saying. And then for those who are attempting to enable him or attempting to further their own political careers to repeat it, it’s a disgrace. And you cannot say that you are a member of a party that believes in the rule of law. You can’t say that you’re pro-law enforcement. If you then go out and you say these people are ‘hostages.’ It’s disgraceful.”

Speaking of ‘Face the Nation’

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson being interviewed by Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. (Courtesy: CBS News)

“Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan had a strong interview with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, questioning Johnson extensively and intelligently about the border. She also pinned Johnson down on Trump’s rhetoric about migrants.

Brennan asked, “When President Trump says immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country, is that a statement you agree with?”

Johnson said, “That’s not language I would use, but I understand the urgency of President Trump’s admonition. He’s been saying this since he ran for president the first time that we have to secure the border, and I think the vast majority of the American people understand the necessity of that and I think they agree with his position.”

But Brennan would not let it go, continuing to ask about Trump’s hateful language. In fact, she even said, “It sounds hateful.”

Johnson said, “Well, it’s not hateful. What President Trump is trying to advance is his America first priority. And I think that makes sense to a lot of people. The current president, President Biden, wants additional supplemental spending on national security, but he denies the most important point of our own national security. And that is our own border. And so that’s frustrating to …”

Brennan cut off the speaker, and again said, “But you can say that without talking about blood and purity.”

Johnson said, “President Biden’s position is frustrating to us. It’s frustrating to the American people, and certainly to President Trump. And I think that’s what he’s, that’s what he’s articulating there.”

Not great answers, but certainly good questions.

Media tidbits

• Late breaking news Sunday. Mehdi Hasan announced he is leaving MSNBC. The network announced several scheduling changes last November, including that Hasan’s Sunday show would be canceled — a decision that didn’t sit well with many viewers. At the time, it was announced Hasan would stay with MSNBC as a political analyst and fill-in anchor. But at the conclusion of his show Sunday night, Hasan said, “With this show going away, I’ve decided that it’s time for me to look for a new challenge. Tonight is not just my final episode of ‘The Mehdi Hasan Show,’ it’s my last day with MSNBC. Yes, I’ve decided to leave. To be clear, I am so, so proud of what we’ve achieved on this show on this network, and I can’t thank you enough for tuning in and for your support, and for your feedback. But as they say, new year, new plans.” He said he will eventually announce on social media what is next for him.
• Audacy, the second-largest radio broadcaster in the U.S., has filed plans for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization to slash its debt. Audacy owns 235 radio stations across 48 markets, including sports-talk WFAN in New York City; KROQ, KNX and KRTH in Los Angeles; and Newsradio 780 WBBM and 670 The Score in Chicago. Variety’s Todd Spangler writes, “Through the restructuring, Audacy expects to eliminate about $1.6 billion of funded debt — a 80% reduction from approximately $1.9 billion — to $350 million.” Audacy’s chairman, president and CEO David Field wrote in a note to staff that the company will “continue operating its business in the ordinary course without disruption to its advertisers, vendors, partners or employees.”
• CNN’s Eva Rothenberg with “Bill Ackman calls out MIT, Business Insider as wife Neri Oxman faces plagiarism accusations.”
• Semafor’s Max Tani with “The fall of Will and Jada’s media empire.”
• The Daily Beast’s Kevin Fallon with “The Sensational Love Story That Should Win an Oscar.”
• Los Angeles Times sports culture critic Tyler R. Tynes writes about the Fox NFL sideline reporter in “Pam Oliver’s unyielding resolve to stay in the game.”

Hot type

• The New York Times’ Andrew Keh with “Who Was the Mysterious Woman Buried Alone at the Pet Cemetery?”
• For “CBS Sunday Morning,” correspondent Lee Cowan profiled actor Jodie Foster — who stars in the new season of HBO’s “True Detective,” which begins next Sunday.
• The Ringer’s Adam Nayman with “The 20 Most Anticipated Movies of 2024.”

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