Pat McAfee and Samantha Welcome Their Son, Midas Robert

ESPN’s Pat McAfee and his wife Samantha just welcomed their son, Midas Robert, following an emergency C-section on Friday night. McAfee shared the news through social media.

He described Midas as “a fierce fighter” and mentioned that their son spent around 36 hours in the NICU, while Samantha was recovering quickly.

Fortunately, Midas was eventually discharged from the NICU.

In a heartfelt post alongside a photo of their family, McAfee wrote, “Please help Mackenzie and I welcome Midas Robert McAfee to our family. Due to Samantha’s high-risk pregnancy and severe pre-eclampsia, we had to go for an emergency C-section.” He added that Midas made his grand entrance into the world on May 22nd at 10:42 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces, with 10 fingers and 10 toes.

McAfee noted that Midas was doing remarkably well after being placed in the NICU at 36 weeks, which was necessary for his lungs to develop further. “From the very first moment, Midas was working,” he said, explaining that this helped him achieve the necessary oxygen levels for bonding moments with his parents. “Since he arrived prematurely, he needed a little support to get comfortable with life outside of Samantha’s womb,” he elaborated.

He shared how Midas had to be on a CPAP machine and a feeding tube during his time in the NICU, with a heating pod to help his body adjust. McAfee admitted there wasn’t much he could do other than bring positivity while moving back and forth between his wife and son.

Talking about the meaning behind Midas’s name, McAfee reflected on how he’d wanted to name his son Midas since high school, inspired by Greek mythology. “The concept that everything he touches turns into gold is, well, appealing,” he mentioned. But he was quick to add that real “gold” in life comes through hard work, good fortune, and the right support.

He believes this name embodies the values he and Samantha want to instill in their son. “He’ll be someone who contributes positively to society and helps his community thrive,” McAfee said.

The middle name ‘Robert’ serves as a tribute to Samantha’s father, who passed away too soon. McAfee emphasized that Midas would come to know his grandfather through family stories and memories, and they feel he will always be watching over their son.

Both parents expressed excitement for their 3-year-old daughter, Mackenzie, to meet her new brother this week.

The couple announced Samantha’s pregnancy last November after going through IVF. They tied the knot in August 2020.