WWE commentator reveals burnout behind recent hiatus, emphasizing mental health awareness in professional wrestling
Pat McAfee has provided candid insight into his recent step back from WWE Monday Night Raw commentary duties, revealing that mental exhaustion reached a breaking point during the company’s demanding travel schedule.
Speaking about his experience on his ESPN show, McAfee described recognizing the warning signs during WWE’s Money in the Bank event in Los Angeles.
“Oh my god, my brain is not like operating right now,” McAfee explained. “I’m staring down what you went through there. Like I knew this moment was coming. Like I knew it was going to happen at some point and it happens to people.”
The broadcaster, known for his high-energy commentary style, detailed how the combination of extensive travel, late-night returns, and his commitment to excellence created an unsustainable situation. “I was trying to put everybody over like maximum effort full every time trying to put people over to people that are watching,” McAfee said. “With the travel with me not getting back till like 2 3:00 a.m. on Monday night takes a toll.”
McAfee’s decision to prioritize his mental health was supported by WWE management, who understood the challenges of their demanding schedule.
“WWE has such a hard work kind of mindset and travel mindset and they’ve been doing it for so long. They understand like people get to like, hey, yeah, we understand you might need to take a sleep for a little,” he noted.
The relief was immediate after stepping back from Monday Night Raw. “I stopped going to Monday Night Raw so that took away two planes and a 2-hour sleep a night week away from schedule,” McAfee explained, adding that within days he felt significantly better.
McAfee’s openness about mental health challenges highlights the evolving conversation around wellness in professional wrestling, where performers are increasingly prioritizing sustainable career practices.