Kickin Back with Pat McAfee

In four years, Colts Punter Pat McAfee has already won over the city of Indianapolis.

Yes, Mcafee’s NFL career has seen him start his rookie year and kickoff a Super Bowl, and also seen him emerge as a presence on Twitter and become a regular Indianapolis radio personality. What’s next? His own web show, partnering with local newspaper The Indianapolis Star.

Before signing with the Colts, McAfee had a successful collegiate career at West Virginia, serving as a field goal kicker, in addition to regular punting duties. In the 2008 NFL draft, McAfee was a seventh round selection by Indianapolis. He found himself in the unenviable position of replacing Colts fan-favorite punter Hunter Smith. Luckily, strong rookie statistics paired with an impressive 14 game winning streak allowed him to emerge as a player worth tracking.

After a Super Bowl loss, McAfee served a one game suspension his second season after being arrested for public intoxication. Perhaps this was the first notable press McAfee received in the NFL, and after sincerely apologizing for the incident, he won the support of many Indianapolis fans. To this day he casually jokes about the incident, poking fun at his stupidity.

Despite his impressive statistics as a player, it is off the field that many would argue McAfee has made his biggest impact. It is not uncommon for quarterbacks to be household names in a community, but few cities’ punters are as well-known as Pat McAfee. McAfee first made his presence known on Twitter. He uses the handle @PatMcAfeeShow and at time of publication has nearly 120,000 followers. “Welcome to the party,” his bio greets, “Life’s good brother.”

McAfee has become a steady guest on the nationally syndicated radio program “The Bob & Tom show,” broadcast from Indianapolis. His first appearance was in November 2012. People tune in to hear McAfee’s take on news, pop culture, sports, and more. With Twitter, he is able to reach a great audience, keeping them up-to-date on his life; with radio, though, his personality shines even brighter. His quick wit and entertaining tales of life allow him to steal the show

It's beautiful outside.. T'is a Speedo, tan the cheeks kindof day.. Let those thangs breathe guys

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 12, 2013

This week, it was announced via the Indianapolis Star that McAfee will host a show this fall discussing football and other sports with other Indianapolis Star columnists. The show will air Tuesday nights at 6:00 on www.indystar.com.

Pat McAfee has built a name for himself, and he is using his power to give back to the community. His philanthropy is most notable in the Pat McAfee Foundation, which has raised thousands of dollars in scholarships, supporting sons and daughters of United States Military personnel. In November 2012, he shaved his head in support of his Leukemia-battling coach Chuck Pagano, leading a city-wide support system using the hashtag #CHUCKSTRONG.

While the people of Indianapolis eagerly await the return of the football this fall, they’re also enjoying watching #1 insert himself into a hungry fan base, using his money and influence to make the community a better place. One day we may be tuning in to watch Late Night with Pat McAfee.