ESPN’s Pat McAfee not only made his shocking return to the WWE commentary desk for the 2024 Royal Rumble Premium-Live-Event, but also went a step farther when he entered the match.

The former NFL punter is no stranger to competing in a WWE ring after previously having competed in matches against two-time United States Champion Austin Theory and now All Elite Wrestling star Adam Cole.

Competing is exactly what McAfee didn’t do during his Rumble appearance as he instead provided a moment of comedy to the match.

After his entrance music went off to the surprise of fans and McAfee himself, the former football player begrudgingly made his way from the announce desk to the ring.

McAfee remained in between the ropes for only 38 seconds before he looked at the before looking at the massive 7-foot-3 415 lb giant Omos and the athletic freak Bron Breakker and climbing over the top rope to eliminate himself from the match.

ESPN’s Pat McAfee made a shocking but short-lived appearance in the Men’s Royal Rumble

McAfee entered the ring and looked at two massive competitors before eliminating himself 

As he made his way back to the announce desk McAfee threw up his hands as if to say ‘nope’

As he walked back to his seat at the announce desk McAfee threw his hands up in the air as if to say ‘nope,’ before going back to his commentary duties.

Along with a sprinkle of comedy, McAfee’s appearance also added some much-needed cross-sport star power after Brock Lesnar was ‘withdrawn’ from the match after being linked with the recent sex trafficking allegations against Vince McMahon.

Though Lesnar was not named in the lawsuit, Grant claimed that in July 2021 McMahon told her to create sexual content for a wrestler that was a former UFC heavyweight champion that the company were attempting to resign.

According to the suit, McMahon is said to have arranged a meeting between Grant and the unnamed wrestler, with a sexual encounter between the pair ultimately not taking place as the wrestler was escorted back to their plane intoxicated.

McMahon is also said to have given Grant’s phone number to the wrestler, who then requested that she send them a video of herself urinating. The suit claims that after she did, he called her a ‘b****.’

In their report on the allegations, the Wall Street Journal identified Lesnar as the wrestler in question.