For several months, Pat McAfee and the crew of The Pat McAfee Show have been consuming PB&J products by Jams while publicly praising their taste and clean ingredients. But now, McAfee is taking that relationship a step further by expanding his ties with the brand and its founder, Connor Blakely.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Per the Sports Business Journal, McAfee is partnering with Jams, becoming a co-owner of the brand amid his reported ongoing $60 million negotiations with ESPN. The brand with nationwide distribution at Walmart and Target was launched in July 2025. McAfee, meanwhile, is making his first investment in the food and beverages department.
“What’s special about this is that Pat chose our team and our product for the first investment of this kind in his career,” Blakely said. “He believes in this just as much as we do, and that’s why we are so excited to have him on board.”
As of now, the terms of the deal have not been finalized, and no agencies were involved in the agreement. Still, Blakely has described it as “very significant,” as the brand plans to expand retail distribution, pursue additional sports partnerships, and introduce new flavors this summer, according to SBJ.
“They pushed the product hard,” McAfee told SBJ. “How can you not respect that? When you’re dealing with people who believe so deeply in who they are and what they do, it touches you in a way that makes you want to be involved.”
However, as co-owner, McAfee’s role extends beyond capital. The former Indianapolis Colts punter will guide creative direction, content strategy, and partnerships.
“When you think about a picture-perfect representative for our product, there’s no doubt it’s Pat,” Blakely added. “He wears so many different hats — being a father, media personality, and former professional athlete — so well that he really encompasses what we’re trying to do. We want Jams to be a product that the next generation of kids, no matter who they are, grow up eating. Pat’s really the perfect person to help us get there.”
The news surfaced after Jams became the exclusive PB&J partner of the NFLPA, with players like J.J. Watt and Caleb Williams already involved with it. As for Pat McAfee, his latest venture came just a couple of weeks after reports suggested that the ESPN analyst is looking to sign his new deal.
Pat McAfee could become the highest-paid analyst at ESPN
Pat McAfee currently has a couple of years left on his contract with ESPN. But according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, the ESPN analyst and his representatives, Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro, are negotiating a new contract worth around $60 million annually, which would make him the highest-paid analyst at the network.
For now, the deal is not official. But if the terms materialize, McAfee would surpass the likes of Troy Aikman, Stephen A. Smith, and Kirk Herbstreit. According to his latest deal, McAfee earns around $17 million from The Pat McAfee Show. However, adding up his other contracts from College Gameday and the College Football Championship, McAfee earns a paycheck of $30 million annually.
But his new deal will change those numbers, and so will his role at the network. According to reports, McAfee will have an expanded role at ESPN after signing his contract extension, especially in the NFL. However, his new deal with ESPN will be similar to the current one, where ESPN licenses his show under product management, allowing the 39-year-old to own the program and covering the production costs.
That said, McAfee’s representatives reportedly initially sought a deal worth $100 million per year. But as things currently stand, it remains to be seen when McAfee will eventually put pen to paper on a contract worth $60 million annually.
