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Pat McAfee had a few choice words for John Mellencamp, who seemingly called the former NFL star out for his behavior during the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers' Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
On Tuesday, May 27, the Knicks were guests at the Pacers' Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, but they didn't get the warmest welcome from McAfee. The ESPN host called out the celebrities who have become mainstays during the playoffs, such as Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, and Ben Stiller.
“Indianapolis, Indiana, we’ve got some bigwigs from the big city in the building,” McAfee said when he took the mic and began calling out celebrities.
“Spike Lee is here. Ben Stiller is here. Timothée Chalamet is here,” he continued as fans began booing the Knicks superfans. “Let’s send these sons of b*****s back to New York with their ears ringing. Let’s turn this s**t up!”
John Mellencamp Pens Apology To Knicks Superfans
Mellencamp did not take too kindly of McAfee's hype speech and was “embarrassed” on behalf of other Pacers fans and Indiana natives.
“The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis,” The Rock & Roll Hall and Songwriter Hall of Famer wrote on social media.
“‘Hoosier Hospitality’ …I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don’t know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team. The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve lived here my entire life,” he continued.
Melencamp concluded his message: “On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I’m sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.”
— John Mellencamp (@johnmellencamp) May 29, 2025
Pat McAfee Reacts To John Mellencamp
Following his viral moment, McAfee explained the reasoning behind his call out to the Knicks superfans.
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“The emcee in there who I do know comes over with the microphone and ears thing and he's standing next to me, and I go, ‘Are you interviewing me?' And he goes, ‘No, I'm giving you the microphone.” And I'm like, ‘Oh, I'm cutting a promo here,'” McAfee said on his eponymous show on Wednesday. “It was very clear what the assignment was.”
However, McAfee decided to call out Mellencamp directly Friday, May 30, on his show telling the singer to “shut the f**k up.”
“The graphic, the quote, the timing,” he said. “You're two days late, John! You're two days late, bub!”
McAfee went on to share that people did not all agree with Mellencamp's opinion of his actions during Game 4 and many supported the former NFL star. One of the people who did think his promo was hilarious was four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski.
“I don't think you or your team had any idea there might be people who are on my side, John,” McAfee continued.
“So I hope whenever you opened your X account, if it is you, you've seen what everybody did, and you could have taken the angle and be like ‘Hey, there's some people attacking Pat for what he did, I'm actually on his side.”'
“I don't want any of your bulls***,” McAfee concluded. “I don't like you. I know your name, and I don't like you.”
McAfee went on to say that he might be seeing Mellencamp sooner than later as the Knicks are geared up to play the Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals back in Indiana tonight (May 31). The Pacers ended up winning Game 4 130-121 and the Knicks won Game 5 111-94. The Pacers currently lead the series 3-2. The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will face the Oklahoma Thunder in the NBA Finals.
