Pat McAfee's GameDay Kicking Contest Surpasses $8.2 Million Mark After Whitehead's Record-Breaking Kick
Pat McAfee's College GameDay kicking contest has been making waves for years, and its latest episode was no exception. On Saturday morning in Oxford, James Whitehead, an Ole Miss finance major from Pennsylvania, stepped onto the field with a $1 million prize waiting for him. Despite having never kicked a football before, Whitehead successfully made a 33-yard kick through the uprights, earning the prize and leaving McAfee to call it 'the best kick we have ever seen.'
The crowd at Ole Miss erupted in celebration as Whitehead became an instant millionaire. This moment has pushed the cumulative value of McAfee's GameDay kicking prizes and charitable money to roughly $8.2 million, with Home Depot now matching his contribution each week. This new deal cuts McAfee's share while keeping the prize money high.
McAfee had already spent more than $6 million of his own money on prizes and charity during the first three seasons. The new arrangement has led to some exciting moments in recent weeks, including a $1.2 million kick made by Connor Kecena-Merrell in Texas after McAfee allowed another attempt.