Pat McAfee states the initial plan was for him to participate in the men’s Royal Rumble.

SmackDown announcer Pat McAfee returned to WWE on Saturday after joining ESPN’s College GameDay in September. He discussed his return on Monday’s Pat McAfee Show, revealing he intended to compete in the Royal Rumble but ultimately decided he wasn’t physically ready.

A lot of people thought I was going to be in the Royal Rumble, a lot of people thought that I was going to be there. That was not figured out until late last week. I mean, that really came together pretty quick.

Not that there was any bad relations or anything, it’s just my schedule for the last five months and everybody’s schedule, especially in WWE… My wife’s pregnant, with what the schedule was… There was no bad beef or anything. It was just like ‘I don’t want to have to train enough to go into that Royal [Rumble].’

Pat McAfee added that WWE management had expressed the Royal Rumble as the ideal time for his return when he left in September.

They said immediately, Hunter and everybody and Nick, and Stephanie at the time, were like, ‘You know, Rumble, that’s like a perfect time to come back because that’s when people come back, and it’s after college football season or whatever.’ And I was like ‘perfect, alright’ because I actually need something to keep me in shape. I always get fat. I actually need something to keep working out for and I tried. Everybody saw me, I was getting after it there.

McAfee was questioned if he was physically prepared for a brief appearance in the match.

I think I could have but I don’t want to disrespect anybody.

There’s only so many spots and when you’re in there, there’s a lot of danger, there’s a lot s**t that can happen.

So I told them, I think maybe week 14, week 13 of the season, I’m like, ‘Hey, just want to let you know, this season’s been a grind this year with Gameday being an extra work day…’

I told them, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be able to be in good enough shape for Rumble, don’t want to direspect Royal Rumble or anything like that.’

It was the goal, Royal Rumble was the goal, I wasn’t able to keep up because of Gameday getting dropped in and what that schedule became.

McAfee complimented WWE and Kevin Dunn for keeping his return confidential, and he even kept it hidden from Michael Cole, who was a guest on Monday’s Pat McAfee Show.

Cole expressed the following to McAfee during the show:

I spoke with you a number of times throughout the day on Saturday. In fact, you sent me a couple of pictures of you and the stooge, Boston Connor, sitting in front of the golf simulator. You asked me who the big surprise was for the Rumble, you asked me if Brock was coming, you asked me if it was going to be a great show. I text you back, ‘It would be an unbelievable show if you were there.’ And you were like, ‘Yeah, maybe next time or whatever’ and that was it, and then I never heard back from you. The next thing I know, I sit down at the desk and Corey and I do our on-camera to start the show and your music hit.

McAfee also noted that flight issues caused him to arrive less than 30 minutes prior to the event’s start.

Cole also stated he was uncertain if McAfee would ever make a return to WWE.

I legit didn’t know if we were ever going to see you again in WWE. I know that we talked back in September that you would be back after the football season. A lot in your life has changed since then, a lot in our comapny has changed since then. I legit did not know if you would be back.