The NFL world descended on the Bay Area this week as the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks prepare to battle in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara\u2019s Levi\u2019s Stadium.<\/p>\n
While the game itself will be played about 40 miles away, much of the NFL\u2019s activities and media opportunities are being staged in San Francisco, which has been in the eye of a media storm for several years, as many conservative politicians and media outlets have seized on its problems.<\/p>\n
Perceptions about homelessness, crime, and public drug usage have turned the city into shorthand for outlets such as Fox News when they want to make a point about what\u2019s wrong with California and, to a larger extent, the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no denying that San Francisco is dealing with significant issues, many of which were exacerbated by wealth gaps, income inequality, and the pandemic, but in many ways, its issues aren\u2019t so different from those many other cities face. A hyperfocus on specific areas and curated statistics can tell whatever story you want.<\/p>\n
That story has resonated with many people across the country, including Pat McAfee. ESPN\u2019s golden son has been broadcasting in San Francisco all week in preparation for the Super Bowl, and he seems to have come to the realization that the city isn\u2019t actually the hellhole many have made it out to be.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, McAfee greeted 49ers great Joe Montana<\/a> and shared that he was \u201cso surprised\u201d by how much he and everyone else on his show were enjoying San Francisco.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were so surprised by what we had been told and expected vs. when we walk through the streets and got here. It\u2019s like, the buildings are beautiful\u2026 there are so many hills, there were people running, it was a very active city. It felt like, I\u2019d not known this about San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n Montana told McAfee that there\u2019s still a lot of focus on how the city was impacted by the 2008 financial crisis, but \u201cthat\u2019s all behind us now, and the city is coming back.\u201d He also praised San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for the work he\u2019s been doing.<\/p>\n That was fortuitous as Lurie appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday to offer some real-world conversation about the state of the city and how things have changed. McAfee mentioned he\u2019d gotten plenty of \u201creports\u201d about issues they might face while in town, but the College GameDay analyst was practically falling over himself to praise his experience while there.<\/p>\n \u201cI ran for mayor because some of the stories about this city were true..<\/p>\n We had problems and we had lost our way as a city..<\/p>\n We\u2019re moving in the right direction and we have taken control of our city\u201d ~ @DanielLurie<\/a> #PMSLive<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zvvbxOMNL6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n McAfee also added that, by speaking with people who actually live in San Francisco, he learned it\u2019s actually a pretty decent place.<\/p>\n MCAFEE: I think San Francisco is showcasing to us it\u2019s a beautiful place pic.twitter.com\/Wzha1bOInX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe talk to local police, we talk to a retired police, we talk to some business people, we talk to other people we encounter here,\u201d said McAfee. \u201cMayor\u2019s like, \u2018Yeah, it wasn\u2019t great.\u2019 Joe Montana, I think everybody\u2019s going to say, it wasn\u2019t great. We weren\u2019t in a good spot, but we all made a decision, \u2018We\u2019re not going to do it anymore.\u2019 I think San Francisco is showcasing us. I don\u2019t know about the world. I don\u2019t know how people are going to change their opinions about what\u2019s going on, but it\u2019s a beautiful place.\u201d<\/p>\n On Friday\u2019s show, McAfee invited 49ers star George Kittle onto the program, and once again showered San Francisco with praise while allowing Kittle to explain why he thinks the criticisms don\u2019t meet the city where it\u2019s at.<\/p>\n \u201cSan Francisco is a beautiful city with awesome vibes..<\/p>\n It\u2019s an unbelievable place to be\u201d ~ @gkittle46<\/a> #PMSLive<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ZRcrkXhYlA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHow do you feel about representing this city?\u201d asked McAfee. \u201cYou\u2019re from Norman, went to Iowa. I\u2019m from Pittsburgh, went to West Virginia, live in Indianapolis. We\u2019ve been told this place is a sh*thole.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been told that for a long time,\u201d added co-host A.J. Hawk.<\/p>\n \u201cThis place has been gorgeous. It has been incredible,\u201d added McAfee. \u201cYou can feel it\u2019s a football town. Do you feel the same way?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like San Francisco, it\u2019s always the butt end of a joke for all these people that want to talk sh*t about it,\u201d said Kittle. \u201cThen you get here and like, \u2018Oh, it\u2019s actually a beautiful city with awesome food, great scenery. The weather\u2019s fantastic. Like, awesome vibes, plenty to do. It\u2019s actually a really fun place to be.\u2019 Now, unfortunately, I live an hour south here, so I\u2019m not in San Francisco all the time because our facility is down in Santa Clara. But when I\u2019m up here, I thoroughly enjoy it. It\u2019s a really fun city to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a fun city,\u201d added McAfee.<\/p>\n Some have pointed out that McAfee probably already knew a lot of this since he was in Berkeley last year for GameDay<\/a>, but you have to give credit where it\u2019s due when someone can use their own eyes and brain to make an informed decision rather than relying on the media lens they\u2019ve been presented with.<\/p>\n Not every media member who came to San Francisco this week is leaving with such good vibes<\/a>, but kudos to McAfee for using his powerful platform to share an honest view of what he\u2019s seen.<\/p>\n \t