Some moments are too perfect, almost scripted—like a kid who never misses in backyard kickball stepping up to make magic happen on a national stage. The kid who wasn’t even supposed to take the kick pulled it off and raised the temperature. Before an even high-octane event of the Georgia and Tennessee battle. Stealing the show with a jaw-dropping $800,000 kick. But the beauty of this moment wasn’t just the kick; it was the incredible backstory and the heartwarming reaction from none other than Pat McAfee.
McAfee’s kicking contest brought out Henry Silver, a Georgia Bulldogs student, who walked into history, splitting the hefty prize between himself, a raffle winner named Belle Sessions, and a hurricane relief fund. The buildup to the kick was steeped in drama, as Pat McAfee later shared on The Pat McAfee show. “This wasn’t some high-school kicker showing up to flex,” McAfee clarified. “He’s obviously played soccer—I think at Hamilton Southeastern—but those weren’t even good kicking shoes or a good ball. He’d been there since 6 p.m. the night before. The pressure? It’s like a golfer surrounded by a crowd for the first time.” The admiration in McAfee’s voice wasn’t just for the technical feat but for the guts it took for Silver to seize the moment.
Life’s wild. https://t.co/PH9ht739YA pic.twitter.com/qv0edKr0Iw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 16, 2024
The origin of this contest added more charm to the story. It was born out of ESPN’s College GameDay before the Bulldog and Vols’ Week 12 game, designed to entertain and raise money for hurricane relief. The rules were simple but challenging: take the shot under the spotlight and in front of roaring fans. Silver’s preparation, including already having a selfie with the former Colts punter as his Instagram profile picture. Which might be back in 2016. Fast forward now they meet again and this time the kid took center stage. Suggested he was manifesting this moment all along. “When I saw that, I got teary-eyed,” McAfee admitted. “He wanted this. He visualized it.” The only regret Pat McAfee might have had is that the kid made him almost cry on national television. The UGA freshman wasn’t even gotten to attempt the kick. If it wasn’t for the sweet Belle Sessions. After winning the raffle, just randomly opted to let Silver kick it instead in her place. She didn’t even know the guy. Destiny calls.
Pat McAfee does this contest each week of GameDay during the season. Where previous editions couldn’t produce a winner, this one thankfully did. It was quite the scene on Georgia’s campus. GameDay was on Georgia’s campus for Saturday’s ‘Playoff Decider’ sort of game. The Bulldogs came in with two Ls after losing to Ole Miss last week, while Tennessee only had one loss.
As for the Dawgs, a loss would have eliminated the team from the College Football Playoff race since it is already at No. 12 in the latest rankings. Call Silver’s 33-yarder a lucky charm, cause they won, and with quite the margin, 30-17. If the CFP started before that, Georgia would be the first team out due to Boise leapfrogging ahead.
Pat McAfee had to meet the kid again, it was written in stars
This turned out to be an incredible moment for Silver and the ESPN analyst. But hold on, the real kicker? This wasn’t their first rodeo. As it turns out, they both crossed paths before! It’s like a reunion of old friends, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already amazing occasion.
Take a look above. You can’t make this stuff up!
Considering McAfee hung up his NFL cleats in 2016, the photo is a blast from the past, at least 8 years old. Jump ahead to 2024, and the duo crossed paths again, with Silver stealing the spotlight in a moment that instantly set the internet on fire.
As McAfee said in his tweet, “Life’s Wild”.
Henry Silver might not have NFL scouts knocking on his door just yet, but he’s already made a lasting impact.
The post Pat McAfee Confesses to Being Deceived by Georgia Athlete After $800K College GameDay Blowup Leads To Regret appeared first on EssentiallySports.
