The Power of the Pin: Is WWE out-kicking its coverage with Pat McAfee?

Pat McAfee will face Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: XXX

Following in the footsteps of names like Steve McMichael and Kevin Greene, it appears that Pat McAfee is about to become the next former NFL player to try his hand at the wrestling business. McAfee, the former Indianapolis Colts punter who was longtime teammates with Peyton Manning and a two-time NFL Pro Bowler, is no stranger to WWE.

He’s worked with WWE in the past and has interviewed several wrestlers on his very successful YouTube show. He’s also a pretty big guy who is known as a man’s man and someone legitimately able to hold his own, both on the field and off.

And now? He’s embroiled in a feud with Adam Cole, who just came off the longest-tenured run as the NXT Champion. This rivalry has been brewing for quite a while now, but finally boiled over when Cole made a recent appearance on McAfee’s program, where the pair staged a blow-up against one another.

How will @AdamColePro bounce back after last week's attack by @PatMcAfeeShow? Find out THIS WEDNESDAY on @WWENXT at 8/7c on @USA_Network! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/Bl3HWYOrH2

— WWE (@WWE) August 11, 2020

McAfee is known for never being shy when it comes to sharing his opinion, which has helped him generate quite a following in the podcasting world. He’s also apparently a lifelong fan of pro wrestling, and has been reportedly trained by the legendary Rip Rogers. He seems like a natural fit to be a part of a storyline with a very popular and prominent member of the WWE roster.

So, McAfee is not the issue. The problem is the overall mentality behind these kind of moves.

WWE has a longstanding issue with bringing in sports celebrities

The incessant need to constantly inject mainstream sports stars into the WWE Universe has been problematic for several years now. The promotion’s management seems to believe that any celebrity from outside the wrestling genre has some value when it comes to promoting their own talent, and that isn’t always necessarily the case.

While this could be a very positive thing for Cole in terms of exposure, it could also backfire if he is made to look weak against someone who is a non-wrestler. For quite a while, he has shined as a WWE Superstar-in-the-making, and should be handled with extreme care.

Bringing in celebrities to face off against WWE Superstars often becomes a hit or miss proposition. And most recently there have been a lot of misses.

For every Lawrence Taylor, there are a dozen Rob Gronkowskis. And rather than using their celebrity status to add shine to a particular wrestler, it ends up tarnishing them in the process.

Hopefully, that doesn’t happen to Adam Cole when he faces off with McAfee at NXT TakeOver: XXX. He’s been on a steady rise in NXT, and appears to be tabbed to become one of WWE’s biggest stars. However, if he’s forced to "fumble the ball" as it were to an outsider, it certainly won’t help his career.

In this case? The wrestler needs to win against the football player.

Adam Cole needs to take the punt and return it for a touchdown, because he has the potential to be an MVP for the WWE.