Summary

A new report says the backstage reaction to Pat McAfee's major role on WWE SmackDown was mixed, and that the company was aware of how fans were responding online.

The segment opened the April 3 episode and put McAfee directly into the show's top story. He was revealed as the mystery caller working with Randy Orton, then attacked Cody Rhodes before delivering a promo that blasted the state of WWE, including claims that the product was down and Rhodes was failing as the face of the company. The angle was part of the same chaotic opening covered in this earlier April 3 WWE SmackDown result story.

Backstage reaction to Pat McAfee's SmackDown angle

The report did not detail a single unified view behind the scenes. Instead, it said reaction within WWE was mixed after the segment aired.

Just as notable, WWE was reportedly tracking the online response to the angle. That matters because the segment was built around McAfee taking a sharp verbal shot at the company's direction while aligning himself with Orton against Rhodes, which immediately made it one of the most talked-about parts of the show.

What this means for Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Pat McAfee

Putting Pat McAfee in the middle of Randy Orton's issue with Cody Rhodes raises the stakes of the feud beyond a standard one-on-one rivalry. McAfee is a recognizable media figure as well as an on-air WWE personality, so any strong fan reaction to his involvement is likely to matter if WWE keeps this version of the story moving.

The other key point is Cody Rhodes. Because McAfee's promo directly targeted Rhodes as the leader of the company, the segment was designed to hit at Rhodes' standing, not just set up another physical confrontation. If WWE sees the reaction as useful rather than damaging, that could shape how heavily McAfee remains involved in the Orton-Rhodes story on upcoming television.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.