The absence of Pat McAfee from the WWE Raw commentary desk continued through this past Monday’s July 21 broadcast. His hiatus now extends over a month, with his last appearance being on the June 9, 2025, episode.
The decision for McAfee to step away stems from what he described as severe mental and physical exhaustion. On a July 16 episode of The Pat McAfee Show, he detailed hitting a wall around the time of Money in the Bank, which was held in Los Angeles.
“I could just feel it. ‘Oh my God, my brain is not operating right now,’” McAfee recounted.
He attributed the burnout to a demanding schedule that included his daily ESPN show and his WWE commentary duties. McAfee explained that taking a break from Raw eliminated two flights and a night with only two hours of sleep from his weekly routine, allowing him to “feel like a human again.” A desire to spend more time with his young daughter was also a factor.
According to McAfee, WWE has been supportive of his need for time off to recover.
“I will always love the WWE and I miss it, but I didn’t think I would have made it,” he stated, emphasizing the severity of his fatigue.
In McAfee’s place, Corey Graves and Wade Barrett have handled color commentary duties alongside Michael Cole. While McAfee has not given a specific date for his return, reports suggest it is not imminent, as his work as a college football analyst for ESPN is scheduled to begin in August 2025.