AMERICUS, Georgia — I began my writing career as a part-time sportswriter at a local newspaper. After 22 more years in journalism at a couple of other newspapers, I returned to Americus in 2011 to handle communications for The Fuller Center for Housing.

Rarely does the sports world collide with the affordable housing nonprofit communications realm, so it was especially exciting for me when it happened twice in the span of about one month.

In mid-October, we got a check signed by a fellow named Pat McAfee. The amount was for $100,000 and designated for The Fuller Center’s disaster recovery efforts, specifically the great work being done by the Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders in western North Carolina in the wake of the massive flooding in September from Hurricane Helene.

Having been a sportswriter and still an avid fan of many sports, I recognized the name. I figured it had to have been a gift from Pat McAfee, the retired Indianapolis Colts punter who now reaches millions with “The Pat McAfee Show” and also brings his larger-than-life personality to ESPN’s “College GameDay,” which is staged on campuses of the day’s most notable game.

I like to start my college football Saturdays quietly, but McAfee brought this huge jolt of energy to the “GameDay” set. I had to lower my caffeine intake on Saturday mornings to keep from overdosing on all the energy before kickoff.

Sure enough, I contacted the show, and they confirmed the gift. They hadn’t given us any notice that the gift was coming, nor did they ask for any sort of recognition. And when I told them I’d like to make the gift public, they replied: “We are honored to help. If you believe it is good for the cause to let folks know we donated, we’re cool with it.”

They went on to tell me that it was Terry Saban — wife of the legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban — who let them know about the work of The Fuller Center for Housing, something they saw up close and personal after deadly tornadoes struck Lee County, Alabama. Student-athletes from rivals Alabama and Auburn were among those who worked together to help build walls for Fuller Center homes erected in the months after the disaster. 

Fast-forward to a month later, when McAfee and the “College Gameday” crew were set up in Athens, Georgia, before the University of Georgia’s game against Tennessee. (I’m a Dawgs fan, so I feel obliged to note that UGA would win 31-17.) However, one of the most talked-about moments of the college football season happened before the game.

Throughout the season, McAfee has funded a pre-game contest in which a college student is picked to attempt a 33-yard field goal for a chance to win money — lots of money. Belle Sessions won the raffle to attempt the kick but chose a fellow student, Henry Silver, to fill her kicking shoes. If he made the kick, they would split the $150,000 prize.

McAfee, though, decided that teamwork deserved at least $200,000 to split, with another $200,000 going to disaster recovery if he made it. Then, sending the crowd and fellow “GameDay” mates into a frenzy, McAfree doubled it — $400,000 for the student to split and another $400,000 for disaster recovery.

I don’t want to spoil the outcome of the kick attempt, but I suspect the headline and video at the beginning of this post might’ve already done that. So — spoiler alert — Silver coolly stepped up and drilled the ball perfectly through the middle of the uprights.

And The Fuller Center just received a second $100,000 gift from McAfee.

Thanks again to Pat McAfee for supporting our work. If you would like to know more about our disaster recovery efforts or volunteering with our Disaster ReBuilders, please visit fullercenter.org/disaster.