Backstage Update On Role ESPN Played In Late Addition Of Pat McAfee To Randy Orton/Cody Rhodes Rivalry For WrestleMania 42

Pat McAfee’s shocking return on WWE SmackDown wasn’t just a creative curveball, it came straight from the top.

Following his surprise appearance on the April 3 episode of SmackDown in St. Louis, MO., new details have emerged regarding how McAfee ended up being inserted into the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton WrestleMania 42 storyline. As noted, according to multiple reports, the decision was not initiated by WWE creative, but instead came directly from TKO executives, including Ari Emanuel.

The directive reportedly came down “about three weeks ago,” though the plan was kept tightly under wraps until the moment it played out on television.

And yes, here’s a bigger picture here.

Several sources believe McAfee’s involvement is “a bone for ESPN,” as WrestleMania 42 will mark the first time the event airs on ESPN’s platform in the United States. With McAfee being one of ESPN’s most prominent personalities, his inclusion is viewed internally as a goodwill gesture aimed at strengthening the partnership between WWE and the sports media giant.

That relationship, however, hasn’t exactly been flawless.

Out of the gate, there was controversy surrounding ESPN’s grading of WWE premium live events on its ESPN Unlimited service. The debut show, WrestlePalooza, received a rough “C” grade along with some pointed criticism.

“Everything else was either underwhelming (the short Rhodes-McIntyre match) or a setup for a future match (Lesnar dominating Cena),” Andreas Hale of ESPN wrote regarding the event in September 2025. “For a card that promised to have epic moments, it fell a little short of expectations.”

The follow-up event, Crown Jewel: Perth, fared slightly better with a “B” grade, though it didn’t escape the public negative criticism either.

“A show that stumbled out of the gate with a relatively tame street fight and a far too brief fight between women’s champions,” Hale wrote after the October 2025 show.

Not long after those reviews, ESPN quietly dropped the grading system for WWE events altogether.

Still, behind-the-scenes friction has reportedly lingered. ESPN has been aggressively pushing to grow subscribers for its ESPN Unlimited tier, while WWE has been less than pleased with distribution issues, as the service has yet to roll out across all cable and satellite providers as originally planned.

Against that backdrop, McAfee’s high-profile involvement appears to be a strategic move to help smooth things over ahead of WrestleMania 42.

The angle itself certainly made noise.

After aligning with Randy Orton and turning heel with an attack on Cody Rhodes during SmackDown, McAfee doubled down in a digital exclusive, raising the stakes for the WrestleMania showdown. He vowed that fans would never see or hear from him again if Orton fails to defeat Rhodes on the grand stage.

Then came more.

On Saturday morning, McAfee released another video via social media, once again praising Orton while firing shots at online fans.

“Good morning beautiful people,” McAfee began the caption to the X post containing the new video. “To the wrestling marks.. I hope you all have already thanked Randy Orton for what he’s gonna do for wrestling at WrestleMania. #THANKYOURANDY.”

Randy Orton himself also joined the conversation, posting a photo of the two together from SmackDown in matching RKO shirts, along with a simple message that echoed McAfee’s on-air rhetoric.

“For the business,” Orton wrote.

WrestleMania 42, headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Championship, is scheduled for April 18 and April 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.

For the business. @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/U2mzD1Mkbr

— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) April 4, 2026

Good morning beautiful people..

To the wrestling marks.. I hope you all have already thanked @RandyOrton for what he’s gonna do for wrestling at WrestleMania #THANKYOURANDY pic.twitter.com/khmbikDsVv

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 4, 2026

I will make a deal with the IWC now..

If @RandyOrton doesn’t win at Mania.. I will NEVER be seen OR HEARD on wrestling television AGAIN.@BustedOpenRadio @WrestleOps @WrestleTalk_TV @twcworldwide @Fightful @BehindTheBuckle @EliteClubS0B pic.twitter.com/dnn44ftMha

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 4, 2026

(H/T: PWInsider Elite)