Pat McAfee and his wife, Samantha McAfee, attend the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s ‘Quarterback’ in July 2023 in Hollywood, California.Photo:JC Olivera/Getty
JC Olivera/Getty
Pat McAfee is a man of many talents, and his wife, Samantha McAfee (née Ludy), roots for him every step of the way.
The West Virginia University alum spent eight seasons as a punter for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts before he announced his retirement in 2017 at the age of 29 to pursue a media career. The All-Pro selection then launchedThe Pat McAfee Show, a popular sports talk show known for its frank and frequently humorous analysis.
Most recently, Pat reportedly inked a five-year, $85 million dealwith ESPNin 2023 to bring his YouTube-based show to the network, per theNew York Post. He also contributes to ESPN’sCollege GameDayand provides commentary for WWE — all the while, Pat has continued building a life with Samantha.
After the couple married in 2020, they became parents to a daughter, Mackenzie, in 2023. As he pursues his passion for sports, she runs her own non-profit and doesn’t miss a chance to praise her husband’s diligence.
“He works all the time, even the hours you’re suppose to be resting,” she captioned anInstagram photoof Pat ahead of Mackenzie’s birth. “His brain is always thinking of how to make the show better, how to make his team better, how to be a better human, friend, husband and soon to be father.”
She is from Indianapolis
Pat McAfee poses with his wife, Samantha McAfee, in Indianapolis Colts gear.Samantha McAfee Instagram
Samantha McAfee Instagram
According to Samantha’sFacebook profile, she is from Greenwood, Indiana. She graduated from Central Grove High School in 2007 before attending the University of Southern Indiana, just outside Evansville.
She received an epic marriage proposal
Pat McAfee proposes to his girlfriend Samantha McAfee in Hawaii in February 2019.Samantha McAfee Instagram
When Samantha went on her annual post-football season trip to Hawaii with Pat in February 2019, she was unaware of how their relationship would change. She shared the details of her then-boyfriend’s creative proposal, which involved a romantic helicopter ride.
The pair “stopped at a coffee plantation,” visited a volcano and went whale watching before hopping in a helicopter from where they admired a rainforest. The flight took an interesting turn though.
Pat opened up about his thought process leading up to his tropical engagementon Instagram. According to the former athlete, he asked himself what his future looked like “in a perfect world,” and there was a clear answer.
“I thought of about 15 different outcomes and every single one of them had [Samantha] in it. i realized that I didn’t want a life without you in it,” he wrote after the proposal.
She married Pat in 2020
Pat McAfee and Samantha McAfee on their wedding day in August 2020.Samantha McAfee Instagram
Pat and Samantha married on Aug. 1, 2020, more than a year after getting engaged and four years of dating. (She first posted a picture of him in 2016on Instagram.)
The couple wed in an idyllic ceremony at Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana, in front of family and friends, with their pets at their side. The bride wore a fitted, backless gown with lace panels, and the groom wore an unconventional half-tuxedo with black dress shorts.
According to their wedding plannerBridget Davis, Pat and Samantha originally planned to exchange vows in Kona, Hawaii, before switching the location to Indianapolis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the hiccup didn’t take away from their special day.
“My wife is the best & an absolute rocketship,” he wroteon X(formerly known as Twitter) the following evening. “I’m the luckiest man to ever grace this here planet, I appreciate you all more than you could fathom 4 following along.”
She is a mother of one
Pat McAfee and Samantha McAfee with their daughter, Mackenzie Lynn McAfee.Samantha McAfee Instagram
Pat and Samantha welcomed their first child, daughter Mackenzie Lynn McAfee, on May 4, 2023. She was born two weeks early and weighed 7 lbs.
Shortly after, the proud parents announced the newson Instagram. “Today’s a day that@mrsmcafeeshow and I have been dreaming of,” he wrote in a joint post alongside a photo of Mackenzie’s foot. “I can’t wait to see where this foot gets to go beautiful girl. WE LOVE YOU.”
The pair were especially grateful for their daughter afterstruggling with infertility. When they first revealed their pregnancy, Samantha penned an emotional noteon Instagramto “women and couples” having issues with conception and shared her in-vitro fertilization (IVF) journey.
“For those of you who haven’t followed along with our parenthood journey, we have lost two pregnancies,” she wrote. “I almost lost my life both times with internal bleeding, resulting in losing both of my Fallopian tubes, which has caused us to not be able to conceive naturally.”
“I hope this isn’t a trigger but rather serves as hope. Hope that you too can overcome the battle of infertility.”
She is an animal lover
Pat McAfee and Samantha McAfee pose together for a photo while outdoors.Samantha McAfee Instagram
The McAfees are also parents to their dogs, Chuck and Valerie Ann, who frequently appear onSamantha’s Instagram account. Chuck is reportedly named after Pat’s former Colts coach, Chuck Pagano. Valerie Ann is a nod to the actressValerie Bertinelli, whose middle name is Anne.
Over the years, the couple’s pets have also included cats, frogs and even a mouse. On Father’s Day, just before their 2020 wedding, Samantha made a special gesture to celebrate their impending union.
“On our wedding rehearsal evening, I surprised @patmcafeeshow w/official name changes for the 3 furbabes I brought when we moved in together,” she sharedon X(formerly known as Twitter). “I wanted a cute special way to ‘officially’ make them McAfee’s as well. Happy Father’s Day, We love you.”
She is the founder and CEO of a non-profit
Pat McAfee attends the 2023 ESPYS with his wife, Samantha McAfee, in July 2023.ABC/Getty
ABC/Getty
Samantha is a longtime animal advocate and has extensive experience caring for animals. She worked at a pet store in high school, volunteered at local animal shelters and earned her grooming license.
Her dog, Valerie, had been treated for canine cancer and undergone two surgeries. The experience inspired Samantha to create Fur The Brand, a non-profit organization raising awareness for canine cancer and providing financial assistance for treatment.
Between the mounting expenses and anxiety of not knowing what would happen to her pet, she realized the ordeal was stressful, so she wanted to assist other families in the same situation.
She is open about her anxiety struggles
Pat McAfee and Samantha McAfee take a selfie.Samantha McAfee Instagram
Samantha shares lots of fun content about her life with Pat, their young daughter and their pets on social media — but she also addresses important issues like mental health.
The mother of one has talked openly about experiencing the physical manifestations of anxiety, including shortness of breath, feeling like “an elephant sitting on top of my chest” and being unable to speak. She asked her husband for help and said he was nothing but supportive.
“Patrick picked me up, hugged me & said ‘I will be with you every step of the way.’ I know not everybody has this person so BE that person,“she posted on Instagram.
Samantha considers vulnerability a strength and encourages others to stop suffering in silence.
“Mental health looks and feels different for everybody & had I never told you, you’d probably never know,” she added. “I am speaking out in hopes it helps break the stigma. If you are struggling know you are not alone, seek help, if its not you check on your friends/family. Even if its your most outgoing fun friend, check on them.”
She is supportive of her husband’s pursuits
Pat McAfee takes a photo with his wife, Samantha McAfee, while at a WWE event.Samantha McAfee Instagram
Pat is a passionate professional wrestling fan who also provides commentary for WWE’sFriday Night SmackDownand select pay-per-view events as part of his extensive media portfolio. In 2022, he lived out a childhood dream when he wrestled at WrestleMania 38 against Austin Theory.
source: people.com
