Pat McAfee Shockingly Reveals Himself as Randy Orton's Ally on WWE SmackDown

The former NFL punter and ESPN personality attacked Cody Rhodes, aligning with the WWE Champion ahead of WrestleMania

Apr. 4, 2026 at 12:49am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a chaotic wrestling match between two figures, their bodies and movements fractured and abstracted into sharp, overlapping planes of color.An unexpected alliance between WWE Champion Randy Orton and commentator Pat McAfee threatens to derail Cody Rhodes' WrestleMania title aspirations.St. Louis Today

In a surprising turn of events on WWE SmackDown, former NFL player and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee revealed himself as the mysterious ally that Randy Orton has been speaking to on the phone in recent weeks. McAfee interrupted a confrontation between Orton and Cody Rhodes, the WWE Champion's opponent at WrestleMania, attacking Rhodes and declaring his allegiance with Orton in an effort to 'save the industry he once loved'.

Why it matters

This unexpected alliance between McAfee and Orton completely reshapes the narrative heading into the WrestleMania match between Orton and Rhodes, who have a long personal history. McAfee's involvement adds a new layer of intrigue and drama to one of the marquee matchups at WWE's biggest annual event.

The details

On the SmackDown episode in Orton's hometown of St. Louis, the WWE Champion received a hero's welcome from the crowd as he discussed his recent title victory at WrestleMania. However, the celebration was interrupted by Cody Rhodes, who confronted Orton in the ring. As the two began brawling, Pat McAfee suddenly appeared and attacked Rhodes with a low blow, allowing Orton to then assault Rhodes with a steel chair.

  • The events took place on the April 4, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown.
  • Orton won the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, which took place two weeks prior.

The players

Randy Orton

The current WWE Champion, a 15-time world titleholder who is set to defend his title against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.

Cody Rhodes

The WWE Champion's opponent at WrestleMania, known as 'The American Nightmare' and making his return to WWE after a multi-year absence.

Pat McAfee

A former NFL punter who has transitioned into a media personality, now working as a color commentator for WWE. He has now aligned himself with Randy Orton.

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What they’re saying

“I realized that the business simply sucks now. Cody Rhodes is the representative of everything I hate about modern WWE, and Randy Orton is going to kill everything The American Nightmare has built since his return and save the industry I once loved.”

— Pat McAfee

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This shocking alliance between Randy Orton and Pat McAfee has completely upended the storyline heading into the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania, adding a new layer of intrigue and drama to one of the marquee matchups at the biggest event of the year.