Sean Strickland namesake lends show of support to Pat McAfee after the ESPN analyst receives death threats

The Pat McAfee saga continues to grow and took another turn following his recent social media post. The former Colts punter made a striking revelation that the FBI or another security agency advised him to wear a bulletproof vest following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The ESPN analyst claimed when he was given the advice while in Tennessee to host College GameDay, adding that snipers were stationed in the area to protect him and his crew. He also shared screenshots of messages containing threats against him.

However, some fans believe McAfee’s recent post doesn’t depict the whole story, with a few accusing him of being paranoid. Amid the backlash, Pennsylvania-based coach Sean Strickland has come forward to empathize with McAfee, sharing his own experiences with death threats.

Taking to X, Strickland opened up about receiving death threats during his coaching career despite not being famous as a former Colts Punter. He revealed that threats left him so fearful that he would sleep with windows open during winter to hear anyone approaching his house.


Coach Strickland also recalled a frightening incident from his childhood involving his father and a man who threatened his life and subsequently found his way into their house. He questioned those mocking McAfee and calling him soft, arguing that anyone who had experienced similar threats would also be cautious and frightened.

“I initially held off on making a comment on this situation, but I figured this was the case by the way he was acting. I’m a nobody. But I’ve had to take multiple life -threatening situations to the police during my coaching career. At times I slept with windows open in the winter, so I could hear those people if they ever came to my house. Obviously, a lot of fake tough guys who’ve never been in that position called him soft or a snowflake. But if you’ve ever had to live with your head on a swivel, you would have also understood what was happening there with Pat. It ain’t fun.”

Why did Pat McAfee feel the need to share his latest post defending himself?

The latest development comes after McAfee lashed out at University of Utah for posting a video of its students mimicking him. According to him, students called him corny and creepy. He argued that such content, combined with constant criticism directed at him, puts a target on his back. He also brought up Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah, explaining how the incident made him feel unsafe while hosting GameDay.

The University of Utah took down the video and quickly apologized to Pat for posting it.

When people questioned his response, accusing him of being soft, and out of touch with reality for failing to take a joke, McAfee responded with his latest lengthy social media post explaining his perspective.

Despite his recent post, explaining his side, fans are still calling him out for misquoting the students in the University of Utah video. While they empathized with McAfee for receiving death threats, they felt his situation had nothing to do with the University or the video intended as humour. According to them, he made a meal out of a light situation and failed to handle it properly.


Fans said, “You were in Provo the week before Utah. You understand that’s geographically and demographically closer to UVU, right? Nobody, called you creepy in that video, why do you keep saying that? The Utah post was clearly kids waiting in the dark to see you early on Saturday morning while having some fun”

Another added, “All valid, but the University of Utah literally didn’t do any of that to you and yet you branded the whole school inciting an assassination attempt. Where’s that ownership”.

Someone wrote,” Bad look at Utah, Pat. You didn’t handle this one well. You gotta wear this one. Learn from it, and move forward. Live and learn, my man”.


Others commented, “Threats to your family are vile, but taking that out on Utah and claiming school risked your safety over a harmless clip is absurd. Slandered an entire fanbase on TV with zero apology after thousands showed up for you. Was a big fan, but lost me”.