In his heyday, Howard Stern called himself the “King of All Media.”
The moniker signified Stern’s immense popularity and rare versatility. After starting as a disc jockey on local radio stations in the Northeast, Stern expanded his empire to ultimately include television, film, books, and pay-per-view, as well as his massive nationally syndicated show.
Few have or ever will come close to the level of notoriety Stern carried in the 1990s. That is why we all still say his name, and why he just signed a new contract with SiriusXM in his 70s.
If anyone is close in mainstream media these days, it may be Pat McAfee. The effusive, prickly host has the biggest live show on YouTube and the most prolific talk show on ESPN. He cohosts the biggest sports studio show on television and can likely return to his commentary gig for the WWE whenever he wants. In the past year, McAfee has expanded into live events and documentary filmmaking.
But the greatest Illustration of McAfee’s unparalleled dominance over sports media came last week in San Francisco at the Super Bowl. In a media row environment that doubles as a social media spitting contest for the top stars in the industry, McAfee was unquestionably the winner.
McAfee ignored the revolving door of guests roving show to show, crafting his own viral moments with exclusive guests like Fernando Mendoza and Mayor Daniel Lurie. Rather than endlessly discussing the Patriots, the Seahawks, or the NFL coaching carousel, McAfee freelanced conversations that broke through. Both from a content and setup standpoint within media row, McAfee existed outside the redundant churn that nearly every other brand and host gets sucked into.
“I don’t know how that happened because I’m not that athletic 😂😂
I blacked out and just started going”@qb_fernando #PMSLive https://t.co/Au6s0xcF70 pic.twitter.com/zIvGzKRCw2
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 6, 2026
Ever an innovator, McAfee also sets himself apart on media row with a few simple tricks.
The crowd-facing dais on the edge of his set gives McAfee the chance to invite bystanders and wandering personalities into the conversation at a moment’s notice. This is how you get internet-friendly moments like McAfee throwing (allegedly) an edible gummy at “InsaneShayne,” TikTok’s favorite marshmallow-eating stunt creator.
McAfee also brought his familiar basketball-shot gimmick to media row, raising money for charity with a fun-sized hoop behind his desk.
And like many of the other shows and brands that cut through in San Francisco, McAfee brought fun and games into the mix, hosting an impromptu game show with the Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Every host talked about Bill Belichick on shows at media row. Only McAfee got Belichick on-air to tease him about his HOF snub directly.
The same things that made McAfee the King of All (Sports) Media were on display as he owned media row: an internet sensibility, a welcoming interview style, and a willingness to experiment and try stunts.
Some will decry the conditions that gave rise to King McAfee. Not so long ago, virality and outlandishness were not the coin of the realm. But in a sea of sameness, McAfee made media row work for him.
Around the room, other stars like Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe drew attention. McAfee was the only one who had a live crowd watching all day. The difference was obvious to see (especially for Cam Newton, a plenty-big media star in his own right these days, who was forced to stare at the backs of McAfee’s rapt fans all day with a booth directly across the way).
One place where the metaphor of McAfee as a king falls apart is how he approached the crowd each day. They were not his subjects. Mostly, they were college students and young professionals. Multiple times during Super Bowl week, McAfee spoke one-on-one with these people, providing advice and recording videos, a level of direct engagement that is rare for media celebrities of any generation.
Pat McAfee just spent two hours answering questions from young journalists, content creators, and fans.
Not one-word responses…thought-out answers.
Radio Row can be intimidating if it’s your first time and you don’t have talent booked. You’re relying on right place, right… pic.twitter.com/INQR5msNr2
— Kyle Zorn (@Kyle_Zorn) February 4, 2026
McAfee can certainly be defensive and gruff when criticized. The show’s loyal audience will tell you it can go off the rails when he feels wronged or unappreciated.
But in the grand scheme of McAfee’s vast, incredibly popular output, those flare-ups are few and far between. For the most part, McAfee is an inventive, compelling entertainer who gets how a huge segment of modern sports fans engage with their favorite teams. That keen sense for the audience and the industry has elevated him to a perch atop it.
In a building where all these rival hosts have to do their jobs live, in direct competition with one another, it was impossible to ignore just how far ahead McAfee is compared with his sports media contemporaries right now.