For the fifth consecutive week, Pat McAfee was noticeably absent from the WWE RAW commentary desk, as Corey Graves once again joined Michael Cole to call the action. As McAfee’s profile continues to grow across multiple media platforms, it appears his return to a full-time WWE broadcasting role may not happen anytime soon.
On a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, the charismatic host addressed his continued absence, citing the toll of juggling multiple high-profile responsibilities — including ESPN’s College GameDay and WWE’s spring event schedule.
“Continuing to just kind of catch up on life as a whole,” McAfee said. “I was getting pretty exhausted there. So shoutout to everybody at the WWE looking out for me, too. Very, very thankful.”
McAfee’s packed calendar shows no signs of slowing down. This weekend, his show will broadcast live from the Coca-Cola Roxy near Truist Park in Atlanta as part of MLB’s Home Run Derby festivities — making his presence on next Monday’s RAW in Birmingham, Alabama, highly unlikely.
This isn’t the first time McAfee has taken a break from WWE. In past years, he has stepped away during the college football season, where he serves as a key analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay. With the 2025 season kicking off in Columbus, Ohio on August 30, it’s expected that McAfee will prioritize that role through the end of the season, possibly delaying his consistent WWE return until early 2026.
In the meantime, Corey Graves’ return to the RAW commentary booth has been well-received by many fans online. Praised for his more traditional, narrative-driven style and his strong chemistry with Cole, Graves’ presence has helped steady the ship during McAfee’s absence.
Whether McAfee’s WWE commentary role will shift to a more sporadic or special-event basis remains to be seen. For now, fans can still catch him weekly on his talk show — and likely back behind the WWE desk when his schedule allows.
Stay with PWMania.com for continued updates on Pat McAfee, WWE commentary changes, and all the latest news from Monday Night RAW.
