Kirk Herbstreit tells all on Nick Saban’s ‘hatred’ of ESPN College GameDay co-host Pat McAfee

Nick Saban went viral in 2024 after cameras caught him hitting some serious side-eye as Pat McAfee danced during a commercial break.

The internet quickly declared that the ESPN College GameDay co-hosts didn’t get on with the straight-laced coaching icon not approving of the punter-turned-podcaster.

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Kirk Herbstreit has come forward two years later to put the rumors to bed.

Bussin’ With the Boys host Taylor Lewan asked the analyst about their relationship as “Saban hates McAfee.”

“That is internet-driven, like, like. They get along great,” Herbstreit replied. “Pat just bobs and weaves, and he gets the entertainment better than anybody, but they get along.

“I mean, that’s the great thing about, like, you guys and your crew. You can just sense it the second I walked in the door. You can’t fake, like, guys that get along? I’m sure you’ve been on teams when that wasn’t the case.”

McAfee joined GameDay in 2022 and Saban followed two years later after bringing his Alabama career to an end.

Both bring different things to the role with McAfee’s energy attracting a younger crowd and Saban providing expertise.

“We are kind of Abbott and Costello up there. I get that, but I think it’s a good mix of people on that set,” the Crimson Tide icon once claimed. “But one thing that Pat has is a great instinct.

“He’s smart, he’s a really good football person, and he has a great instinct for when to do something that keeps the show going and the people that are there engaged.”

McAfee has also spoken glowingly of his colleague.

“That dude’s special. Coach Saban is a special, special person. That’s why the rumors that are coming out about him potentially being a part of it,” he said before the coach came on board.

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Kirk Herbstreit thinks ESPN coverage can be better

Herbstreit has been covering college football for years and 2026 will bring up three decades on ESPN’s coverage.

The veteran admits that the network doesn’t always get it right.

“I think our own place has been very, very guilty of those morning shows. It’s NFL or LeBron James or the Yankees or the Dodgers. They’re playing the hits,” he added on the podcast. “They’re not breaking down what’s going on in Nebraska, unless there’s turmoil, unless there’s some kind of controversy. Then they’re going to want to get into it.”

Herbstreit also revealed that he played a key role in signing up McAfee.

“When Pat was like, ‘I might do it, I might not,’ And he would come on for a little bit, I remember going to Indianapolis and sitting down with him and an ESPN executive with Pat,” he said. “And just like basically saying ‘Lee Corso who’s the man, we don’t know how much longer he has. And boy, you would be so good on this show.’

“I was basically begging him to be on the show. Because you guys know, whether it’s Barkley or Lee Corso or now Pat, you have to have a guy that is incredibly entertaining and natural and authentically funny. And those are very hard people to find.

“You can find people to talk football, but it’s hard to find people who can just give you some juice. Before Pat became Pat, I just recognized his talent.

“I used to go on his podcast when it was on YouTube and I just really appreciated his timing and his humor…so I basically begged him to come on the show.”