Pat McAfee Surprises Team USA Hockey With $150K Bar Tab After Gold Medal Win

The generous gift turned the team's celebration in Miami into a massive victory party.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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After the U.S. men's hockey team won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, their plane was rerouted to Miami due to winter storms. There, they celebrated their historic victory at a local nightclub, where media personality Pat McAfee surprised them by covering their entire $150,000 bar tab. The tab included champagne, tequila, vodka, and victory cigars for the team and their supporters.

Why it matters

McAfee's generous gesture turned the team's celebration into a massive victory party, highlighting the excitement and camaraderie surrounding the U.S. hockey team's first gold medal win in 46 years. The event also showcased the team being honored at the White House, further cementing their place in American sports history.

The details

After defeating Team Canada in overtime to win the gold medal, the U.S. men's hockey team's plane was rerouted to Miami due to major winter storms in the Northeastern U.S. At a local nightclub in Miami, media personality Pat McAfee surprised the team by informing them that he would be covering their entire bar tab, which eventually reached $150,000. The tab included Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Champagne, victory cigars, and a variety of other alcoholic beverages.

  • The 2026 Winter Olympics took place in Milan, Italy.
  • The U.S. men's hockey team won the gold medal by defeating Team Canada in overtime.

The players

Pat McAfee

A media personality who surprised the U.S. men's hockey team by covering their $150,000 bar tab during their celebration in Miami.

Connor Hellebuyck

The U.S. men's hockey team's goaltender, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his pivotal contributions to the team's gold medal win.

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What they’re saying

“Boys, thank you for representing the United States of America in such a great way. Tonight, all of your drinks are on me.”

— Pat McAfee (Daily Mail)

What’s next

The team was recently honored at the White House by President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address, where they received a standing ovation from the entire crowd.

The takeaway

Pat McAfee's generous $150,000 gift to cover the U.S. men's hockey team's bar tab turned their celebration in Miami into a massive victory party, highlighting the excitement and camaraderie surrounding the team's historic gold medal win after a 46-year drought.