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Pat McAfee made a major impact on last Friday’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, returning to WWE programming and revealing himself as Randy Orton’s mystery ally.
Up until last weekend, WWE had been facing a wave of criticism from fans, especially after reports surfaced about the alleged involvement of TKO CEO Ari Emanuel in the decision to bring McAfee back.
However, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, McAfee initially turned down WWE’s first offers to be part of the Road to WrestleMania.
“Pat McAfee was the top choice, and the idea came from Ari Emanuel. They wanted a celebrity. He was originally selected, but he declined, so they had to look for someone else for the role.”
Meltzer noted, though, that McAfee accepted the offer at the last minute on April 3, just moments before Friday Night SmackDown went on the air.
“And then, of course, they were able to lock him in, so he agreed and showed up.”
It’s worth noting that, despite his high-profile return to WWE, there is a strong possibility that he could step away from the company—and pro wrestling entirely—on a permanent basis.
As previously reported by House of Wrestling, McAfee has promised to retire from pro wrestling if Randy Orton is defeated by Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. WWE has not officially confirmed anything.