ESPN’s Pat McAfee disapproves of Prince Harry ‘receiving’ the Pat Tilman Award at the ESPYS
Pat McAfee has heavily criticised the ESPYS for including Prince Harry on the shortlist of nominees for ‘the Pat Tilman Award for Service’, while also complaining that Americans were not considered in the selection process.
Discussing rumors about the Duke of Sussex being considered for the prestigious award, which is given to “an individual with a strong connection to sports who has dedicated himself in a way that aligns with the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger,” the ESPN analyst didn’t shy away from criticizing the event’s committee on the network on Friday.
“There’s a lot of talk about Pat Tillman’s name. American hero… Now there’s an award named after him, as it should be in sports, because that’s someone who is the definition of selfless,” McAfee said at first.
“It goes to Prince Harry, who I don’t even think is a prince anymore… He said don’t call me that,” McAfee then subtly joked to the estranged son of King Charles, before later adding, “See, why are the ESPYS doing this?”
After ‘Boston Connor’ – one of the actors on The Pat McAfee Show – described Prince Harry’s nomination for the award as “probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen in my life”, McAfee wondered if the ESPY Awards committee had done its homework at all in the search for candidates.
Pat McAfee expressed his displeasure on ESPN on Friday over Prince Harry receiving a tip for an ESPY
According to information available online, the award winners are chosen exclusively “through a worldwide online fan vote conducted among candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee.”
“When you do something like that, you know the first reaction from people and sports fans and people with common sense and brains is going to be, ‘Hey, don’t put that guy with that fucking guy,'” McAfee said before offering his take on Prince Harry, who founded the Invictus Games and served in the British military.
‘I don’t know anything about him other than the South Park episode and what I learned from the Crown.
‘But did his people know that, ‘You publicly nominated me for this award. You just ask anyone who considers themselves an American and say ”this is nonsense”. Especially with a sports prize type thing… I assume he knew that. They didn’t expect that?’
McAfee then brought up the 2023 ESPYS, when he delivered an opening monologue at the awards show, saying, “the people who run the ESPYs… they weren’t necessarily excited about it,” referring to Prince Harry’s nomination for the ESPYs’ Pat Tillman Award.
“We need to celebrate sports,” the former Colts punter added. “The world leaders should celebrate the sport, but by doing something like this we are clearly trying to anger people. And it’s like there’s been tons of decisions made about this stuff lately? Decade?
The Pat Tilman Award is typically presented to an “individual with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that reflects the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger.”
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games – a global multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans – and served in the British Army
“And I think it’s just one person who’s going to be in charge of this whole thing. It’s like, come on, bro…’
A second member of McAfee’s cast – Ty Schmitt – also added fuel to the fire on Friday, calling the ESPYS Awards “a gimmick.”
“It’s like you can’t find an active U.S. military member or someone who can no longer serve because of something they did while in service,” Schmitt continued.
“There are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people they could have found who could have benefited from this prize. But let’s give it to Prince Harry instead…’
In response to his buddy’s argument, McAfee suggested they simply make up a prize for Prince Harry.
“How about an ESPY for a member of the royal family who doesn’t want to be called a ‘royal family member’ and loves sports,” he said.