JBL Says Fan Backlash Against Pat McAfee Proves His Heel Role Is Working

TLDR

According to John Bradshaw Layfield on the Something to Wrestle podcast, the fan backlash against Pat McAfee proves his heel role is working effectively. JBL argued that the criticism and online hate directed at McAfee represents genuine heel heat rather than "go-away heat," stating that if it were truly go-away heat, fans wouldn't be discussing it. He praised McAfee's ability to generate real emotional reactions from fans, saying it demonstrates effective heel work when audiences stop seeing the performance and genuinely dislike the person.