Who is criticizing Pat McAfee's role in WWE?

Veteran wrestling voice Bishop Dyer and AEW star Dustin Rhodes have both recently criticized Pat McAfee. Dyer specifically warned against McAfee participating in the WrestleMania main event, while Rhodes expressed deep frustration with the commentator's overall presence in the wrestling industry.

What did Bishop Dyer say about Pat McAfee at WrestleMania?

Bishop Dyer clearly stated that while Pat McAfee remains a valuable asset to the company, there must be a line drawn regarding his match placement. He strongly argued that McAfee should be involved in other segments, but absolutely not in the main event of WrestleMania.

Why is Pat McAfee considered hypocritical?

Pat McAfee is viewed as highly hypocritical because his entire WWE run relies on being a celebrity outsider living a fan's dream. Despite his own status, he recently used his talk show to complain about country music star Jelly Roll getting involved in a SmackDown storyline.

What did Dustin Rhodes say about Pat McAfee?

AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes was asked about Pat McAfee and delivered a very potent and aggressive response. While noting his strict loyalty to All Elite Wrestling, Rhodes expressed his deep frustration by stating he would "rid the world" of the energetic commentator if he could.

Which celebrity did Pat McAfee criticize for appearing in WWE?

Pat McAfee specifically targeted country music star Jelly Roll after his recent appearance on a SmackDown episode. During his talk show, McAfee complained about the musician's integration into a Randy Orton storyline, claiming that the celebrity guest should not have gotten involved in the wrestling angle.

Pat McAfee Is The Cause And Solution To WWE's Celebrity Problem

The Loudest Man in the Room Gets a Reality Check

April 8, 2026. Pat McAfee operates at a volume most of us can't comprehend. He is a human energy drink, a walking talk-show, a punter who somehow became one of the most electric personalities in sports media and, by extension, professional wrestling. But the music might be getting a little too loud for some people's tastes. The freewheeling, tank-top-wearing commentator is now facing a wave of criticism from inside the wrestling bubble, with a growing chorus asking if his sideline antics are about to spill into the one place they shouldn't: the main event of WrestleMania.

The latest and most direct shot comes from veteran wrestling voice Bishop Dyer, who didn't mince words. Speaking on the developing situation, Dyer laid it out plain and simple. He argued that while McAfee is a valuable asset, there's a clear line in the sand. "If you’re going to get Pat McAfee involved, get him involved in something else," Dyer stated. "Not the main event of WrestleMania." It’s a stark warning shot across the bow of WWE's most excitable employee.

A Case of Pot, Kettle, and a Bouncing Leg

The timing of this backlash is dripping with a beautiful, professional-wrestling-grade irony. Because while the old guard is telling McAfee to know his role, Pat himself was recently on his show doing the exact same thing. He was talking about country music star Jelly Roll's appearance on SmackDown and his integration into the Randy Orton storyline. In a moment of what can only be described as breathtaking lack of self-awareness, McAfee commented that the musician shouldn't have gotten involved. Yes, you read that right.

Pat McAfee, the man who has made a career out of jumping the barricade, who got into a WrestleMania feud with an Austin, who delights in antagonizing the heels from his commentary desk, thinks a celebrity getting involved in a storyline is a step too far. It's like a pyromaniac complaining about the fire department's water pressure. McAfee's entire WWE persona is built on being the outsider who gets to live every fan's dream. For him to then try and gatekeep that same experience for another celebrity is hilariously hypocritical. It suggests that, in Pat's world, there's only room for one celebrity guest star, and he's already filled the role.

Even the Neighbors Are Complaining

This isn't just an internal WWE debate, either. The noise has gotten so loud that the folks next door are starting to complain. Over in All Elite Wrestling, the legendary Dustin Rhodes was asked about McAfee and his response was... potent. While prefacing it with the fact he's "AEW 4 Life," Rhodes said he would "rid the world" of Pat McAfee, a sentiment that feels less like a carny threat and more like a respected, 30-year veteran expressing his frustration.

This is what makes the wrestling world go 'round. It’s one thing for fans or old-timers to have an opinion. It’s another entirely when a guy who has been in the trenches, a second-generation star who knows the business inside and out, weighs in. It speaks to a wider sentiment among performers: that spots, especially high-profile ones, should be earned through years of grind, not awarded for charisma on a microphone. Dustin's comment, hyperbolic as it is, is a clear sign that McAfee's act is viewed by some of his peers as jumping the line.

The Main Event Is Not a Playground

This brings us back to the core argument from Bishop Dyer. He's not saying McAfee has no value. He's saying there are sacred spaces in wrestling, and the main event of WrestleMania is the most sacred of all. For a guy like Cody Rhodes, who literally bled and toiled for years to finish his story, the headline spot at 'Mania is the culmination of a life's work. It's the pinnacle. The idea of inserting a non-wrestler, even a beloved one, into that equation feels cheap to a lot of people.

"If you’re going to get Pat McAfee involved, get him involved in something else. Not the main event of WrestleMania. That is such a coveted spot, and I don't care how mainstream you are, I don't care how big of a celebrity you are. The main event of WrestleMania should be for the guys that are busting their ass 365 days a year." - Bishop Dyer

Dyer's point, one echoed across the wrestling landscape, is about protecting the integrity of the peak of the mountain. We saw how Logan Paul, another outsider, was used perfectly at WrestleMania 41, putting on a clinic but staying in his own high-profile lane. The main event is different. It’s the final chapter of the year's biggest story. Does McAfee's presence add eyeballs? Absolutely. But does it risk turning the sport's most prestigious moment into a sideshow? That's the billion-dollar question.

Pat McAfee is a unicorn. He has a genuine passion for the business that fans can feel, and his energy is infectious. But he's also a chaos agent. WWE loves the chaos right up until the point it starts to threaten the foundations. With veterans and even rival wrestlers calling him out, McAfee is standing at a crossroads. He can either be a phenomenal, game-changing broadcaster who occasionally gets his hands dirty in the mid-card, or he can push his luck, aim for the very top, and risk becoming the very thing he claims to hate: a celebrity tourist treating the squared circle like his personal playground.