Pat McAfee’s return at the WWE Royal Rumble was a shock to everyone from fans to the production team to Michael Cole.
McAfee went on hiatus from WWE in September 2022 to join the ESPN College Gameday team. Because of the hectic travel schedule, McAfee was told to focus on his ESPN gig and when the college football season was over then he could return to WWE where he had been serving as the SmackDown color commentator.
While speaking on his radio show, McAfee detailed his WWE return.
“So here’s the deal, we just pulled off a little bit of a kayfabe. We just pulled off a little bit of a work on Saturday with the Royal Rumble. Now, obviously, there was speculation, a lot of people talking about it, a lot of people thought I was going to be in the Royal Rumble. A lot of people thought I was going to be there. That was not figured out until late last week. I mean, that came together pretty quick. Not that there was any bad relations, but it’s just my schedule for the last five months and everyone’s schedule, especially in the WWE, my wife is pregnant. With what the schedule was, there was no bad beef or anything. It was just, ‘I don’t want to have to train enough to get into the Royal Rumble, McAfee stated.
McAfee praised the spring rope spot with Logan Paul and Ricochet in the 30-Man Royal Rumble. He noted that WWE felt the Royal Rumble was the perfect time for his return and that was something they told him when he first left.
McAfee revealed that he was originally asked to work the 30-Man Royal Rumble match, but thought he wasn’t in good enough shape to be part of a match and turned it down although, by the week of the show, he thought he could’ve done it. The idea was that wrestlers return at the Rumble after being on hiatus so he could do the same.
“The plane we were supposed to take off on malfunctioned. The wing doesn’t work, have to find a new plane. ‘Holy sh*t, now we’re in an ordeal. But if it doesn’t happen, it wasn’t supposed to happen so no big deal.’”
This was when he recalled texting with longtime Executive Producer Kevin Dunn about getting new travel in place for McAfee to make the show.
“I landed 28 minutes before I was seen at the Rumble because of the plane delay. So literally a plane, car on the runway to the arena, stop at the bus, have water, bang right into a golf cart straight over there.”
McAfee recalled talking with Xavier Woods, The Miz, and Triple H before making the long walk to the ring.
Later in the broadcast, McAfee had Cole on, and the longtime announcer noted that they had spoken last Thursday, but had no clue about McAfee’s return. McAfee believed that was when WWE contacted him to finalize the plans for him to return.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAGuX-vH0lA
It was GREAT to be back at the Royal Rumble#PMSOverreactionMonday pic.twitter.com/nGEIxK8jus
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2023
"I legit didn't know if we were ever gonna see you again in WWE" ~ @MichaelCole#PMSOverreactionMonday pic.twitter.com/WLJ2UphPQP
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2023
I landed 28 minutes before I was seen at the Royal Rumble because of a plane delay#PMSOverreactionMonday pic.twitter.com/jRn2ew94YJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2023
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit The Pat McAfee Show with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
