Over 15 years after ESPN personality Pat McAfee was arrested for allegedly drunkenly swimming in a canal in Indianapolis, a nearby baseball team is using his mugshot to help boost attendance.
“Back in 2010, after legendary Colts punter Pat McAfee decided a 5:00 a.m. shirtless swim in the Indianapolis Canal was a good idea, he was arrested for public intoxication. According to the vehicle’s oral history, this IPD Ford Interceptor was used as the vehicle to transport him to the station. 😳🚔,” the Dubois County Bombers posted via Facebook on Thursday, July 16, alongside a photo of the vehicle.
The post continued, “After its police career ended, someone removed the entire back seat and replaced it with TWO giant toolboxes. Why? We have absolutely no idea. Tomorrow night, one lucky fan is taking this legendary piece of Indiana history home at our Win a Barely Running Used Car Night!”
The Bombers — a summer collegiate baseball team based in Huntingburg, Indiana — used a photo of McAfee’s mugshot to accompany the social media post.
McAfee, now 39, was arrested and charged with public intoxication in October 2010 during his time as a punter for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts. He allegedly was found shirtless and wet after swimming in an area called Broad Ripple, which is surrounded by popular bars and clubs.
The College Gameday cohost was taken into custody at approximately 5:15 a.m. after a woman reported him near her car. McAfee’s blood-alcohol content was 0.15%, nearly double the legal limit in Indiana.
The Colts hit McAfee with a one-game suspension as a result of the arrest.
“Obviously I made a dumb decision on a night when things got out of control,” McAfee said at the time. “I will never put my team or my family through this kind of embarrassment again.”
He added, “I’ve put our team in a horrible light, in a horrible fashion and I was embarrassed as much as they were and whatever they decided, that’s their job. My job is to play, and I was willing to accept any penalty because I was the one that made the horrible decision.”
McAfee never formally pleaded guilty and avoided prosecution for the arrest by signing a diversion agreement with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
All these years later, McAfee took the Bombers’ promotional tactic in stride.
“@DCBombers, could we please put allegedly in there somewhere on the canal swim? 😂😂,” he wrote via X on Friday, July 17.
McAfee also recalled being put in the back of a “paddy wagon,” not the Ford Interceptor at the center of the story.
“We respectfully disagree,” the team responded. “Our historical research indicates this retired Indianapolis Police Interceptor was the one that gave you that infamous and complimentary ride downtown. 🚔Either way…TONIGHT, one lucky Bombers fan will be taking home this former police SUV that’s seen more arrests than a spring break in Panama City.”
