Pat McAfee cannot be taken all that seriously; he certainly doesn't take himself seriously at all. However, as the most notorious -- and loudest -- Indianapolis Colts superfan, his words certainly carry some weight around the fan base.
Like all fans during draft night, the former punter was a bit too hyped when his team was on the clock. Given his persona, it wasn't much of a surprise to see him take the stage and go full WWE by ripping home fans, calling them 'bums,' and guaranteeing that the Colts would win the Super Bowl.
He did so while announcing A.J. Haulcy's pick at No. 78, the second selection he announced on Day 2. And while the front office might not get too caught up in what Pat McAfee says on stage in a moment of joy, the message still hits a bit too close to home: This year might be Super Bowl or bust in Indianapolis.
The stakes are higher than ever for the Indianapolis Colts
As McAfee himself said earlier in the evening, the Colts didn't have a first-round pick because they thought Sauce Gardner would be better than any player any other team could get within the first 32 selections. Even if that's the case, the Colts also gave up their 2027 first-rounder on the deal.
Head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard got the benefit of the doubt and lived to stay for another day. That may not be the case if the Colts don't hit the ground running and get off to another strong start to the season in 2026. Their seats might be lukewarm, and they could get hotter by the day.
McAfee talked like a fan. He was emotional, reckless, and -- even if it was just for show and to spice things up as the entertainer he is -- he may have written checks he won't be able to cash. The Colts still have a lot of work to do to live up to his prediction, and they're already under more pressure than they would like to admit.
The Colts went all-in last season after one of the best starts to a campaign in franchise history. That move was polarizing at the time, but sometimes, teams just have to swing for the fences to get over the hump, and they clearly thought that was what they needed to do to reach the next level.
The early returns suggest otherwise, and they've put the team in a tough spot while everybody else in the division is getting better. The first two picks were slam dunks and should be able to contribute right away, but this is a team with Super Bowl aspirations, and the slightest tumble might trigger a domino effect and a major overhaul.
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