ESPN host Pat McAfee raised concerns about his safety while broadcasting from the University of Utah after referencing the September 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with a subsequent report revealing that the FBI had advised McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest following Kirk’s death.

McAfee discussed the incident during his Monday show after a video posted by an official University of Utah account became the subject of jokes among students. The host suggested the university’s decision to promote the video contributed to concerns about his safety while filming ESPN’s College GameDay on campus.

McAfee pointed to the recent history of political violence in Utah, referencing Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University in September 2025.

“And then I thought to myself, has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?” McAfee said. “Like, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university? I don’t know.”

ESPN backed McAfee in a subsequent statement to The Athletic, saying the network recognized his concerns about security.

“We support Pat and recognize the very real and valid concerns he has around safety and security,” an ESPN spokesperson said.

The University of Utah also apologized for the video, acknowledging that it had “missed the mark.”

“We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus,” the university said.

A report published by Front Office Sports on Tuesday added further context to McAfee’s concerns, stating that the FBI advised the ESPN host to wear a bulletproof vest following Kirk’s assassination last September.

McAfee’s appearance on College GameDay in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the week of Kirk’s death included an extended opening monologue addressing the killing and appealing to the crowd’s patriotism and enthusiasm for college football. Viral clips of the speech did not appear to show McAfee wearing a vest, although the footage alone does not establish whether he wore protective equipment at other times.

McAfee has previously spoken publicly about receiving frequent death threats. His outspoken on-air personality and commentary on politically charged subjects have made him a prominent target for online criticism and threats.

Kirk’s assassination intensified concerns about political violence and security at public events. McAfee’s latest comments brought those concerns into the dispute over the University of Utah’s social media post and the environment surrounding ESPN’s campus broadcast.

McAfee did not provide further details about the incident during his Tuesday show. College GameDay is scheduled to travel to Indiana this weekend as the Hoosiers host Minnesota.