Pat McAfee Rips John Mellencamp After Knicks Rant

No matter what happens in the Eastern Conference Finals set between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers it's safe to say that Pat McAfee and John Mellencamp won't be getting a chili dog outside the Tastee-Freez.

Indianapolis aftermath continues to stem from McAfee's animated attempt to pump up Pacers fans during Game 4 of the ongoing conference finals set.

It was a rant that targeted celebrity Knicks fans like Timothee Chalamet, Spike Lee, and Ben Stiller and one where the former Indianapolis Colts punter encouraged supporters at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to "send these sons of b*****s back to New York with their ears ringing."

What a moment for John Cougar Mellencamp

😂😂 #PMSLive https://t.co/sSAFHJmDL3 pic.twitter.com/unlYYcUHEH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 30, 2025

That didn't sit well with McAfee's fellow Indiana icon John Cougar Mellencamp, who bemoaned the lack of "Hoosier Hospitality" in X post that referenced the ex-specialist's act but not his name. McAfee addressed the controversy on his eponymous sports talk program on Friday and minced no words in his reply.

“John, can’t tell you how bad everything you did here was. The graphic, the quote, the timing…puts this thing out there, doesn’t even say my name," McAfee said, claiming that offering rival fans a not-so-warm welcome was simply "how sports worked." "John, shut the f*** up! ... They put this out, calls me somebody, I am somebody. I normally don’t want people to just get slaughtered, because I know we have a very active following.”

McAfee managed to make peace with Stiller, who even invited him to Game 5 of the series at Madison Square Garden. A similar reconciliation with Mellencamp, however, is far less likely as McAfee appears to take particular issues with the folk rock singer not referring to him by name in his original follow-up.

"You try to think you’re gonna bury me? I don’t think so, John!” the "WWE Raw" color commentator continued. “Hey, Coug! Suck it, buddy! Hope I get a chance to see you real soon…I don’t want any of your bulls**t. I don’t like you, I know your name, and I don’t like you.”

The McAfee-Mellencamp melee no doubt at least somewhat sours what could be a historic weekend for the Pacers franchise: Indiana will have its one and only chance to clinch the conference final series at home on Saturday night. A win would secure their first NBA Finals berth in 2000, which also came at the Knicks' expense in the national semifinal round.

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