Tension surrounding Pat McAfee and his involvement heading into WrestleMania 42 appears to be more than just storyline friction, as multiple WWE talents have openly voiced their frustrations in recent media appearances.

A new report from Fightful Select indicates that wrestlers have not been restricted when it comes to speaking out about the situation. Talent have effectively been given the freedom to air their grievances regarding McAfee’s role and his recent comments, which has led to a wave of candid reactions.

That freedom helps explain why Damian Priest didn’t hold back during a chat with Gabby LaSpisa, bluntly stating that the situation “sucks” and admitting it genuinely irritated him. Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes took a different approach, joking on Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast that he was adopting a Mariah Carey-style “I don’t know him” mindset, while also suggesting that those around McAfee should occasionally rein him in.

The controversy stems from McAfee being revealed as the mystery caller aligned with Randy Orton on the April 3 episode of SmackDown. His return was reportedly pushed by Ari Emanuel as part of a wider effort to drive ticket sales for WrestleMania and strengthen ties between WWE and ESPN. However, the move has sparked noticeable backlash both internally and among fans.

Early indicators suggest the strategy has not delivered as hoped. A 25 percent ticket discount promoted by McAfee on the April 10 SmackDown failed to significantly boost sales for night one, with WrestleMania Sunday reportedly outperforming it over the same period, despite McAfee actively discouraging attendance for the second night.

As it stands, McAfee is set to be in Orton’s corner when Orton challenges Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the night one main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 18, adding even more intrigue to an already heated situation.