Damian Priest Says WWE Locker Room Wasn’t Happy With Pat McAfee Angle

Damian Priest isn’t hiding how he feels about Pat McAfee being inserted into the storyline with Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes—and he made it clear he’s not a fan of how it played out.

The situation stems from the April 3, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown, when McAfee was revealed as Orton’s mystery phone caller following Orton’s attack on Rhodes. While speaking to Gabby LaSpisa, Priest gave an honest reaction to the angle and didn’t hold back. Priest admitted he personally didn’t like the direction and felt it didn’t help the product.

“It sucks. Not a fan. You know, somebody who knows Pat, get along with him. But for me, that’s not my taste. I don’t think it helps anything. He didn’t need it. So for me, and, you know, I’m sure a lot of people aren’t going to be happy that I said that, but in the locker room specifically, like a lot of us weren’t happy and that’s real.”

He also said younger talent came to him asking what he thought about the segment, and he made it clear he wasn’t impressed with how things were handled.

“Like I was asked by some of the younger talent, like, what did I think? And I thought it was bull. We’re a PG show, right? But he could come in and he could throw F-bombs and say whatever he wants.”

Priest pointed to what he sees as a double standard, noting that regular roster members don’t always get the same freedom or spotlight opportunities.

“For me, that’s like one of those things that so many other talent, even from one word, can benefit. And it’s like, wow, now they’re up here.”

He closed by making it clear the situation didn’t sit well with him personally, especially since he feels McAfee didn’t need the added spotlight in the first place.

“Instead, you take somebody who’s not even here all the time and gets away with saying something like that, who doesn’t even need it. Not going to lie, it kind of pissed me off.”

Priest’s comments add to the ongoing conversation around McAfee’s role in the storyline, especially with reports already suggesting mixed reactions behind the scenes. With the feud continuing to build toward WrestleMania fallout, the reaction from inside the locker room could become just as important as what fans see on screen.

Do you agree with Damian Priest’s take on Pat McAfee being involved in the storyline, or do you think celebrity involvement helps WWE in the long run? Drop your thoughts and feedback below.