Josh Pate

Pate was born in Columbus, Georgia, and attended Columbus State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree. Before entering sports media, he spent more than two years loading and moving fabrics at a non-air-conditioned warehouse.

During his warehouse commutes, Pate listened closely to sports radio and practiced broadcasting in his truck. He later contacted the Columbus ESPN Radio affiliate to observe its work and made his radio debut on the afternoon drive, covering college football without previous on-air experience.

The local NBC affiliate soon hired him to host a college football television show. He went on to work there as a sports director and anchor, covering both news and sports.

Pate first experimented with live streaming on Facebook while working in traditional radio and television. He arranged to reduce his role at the NBC station and began producing a show called Late Kick in its studio, combining his broadcasting work with the visual format of an online program.

He made the move into internet broadcasting in 2018. The program attracted the attention of 247Sports and joined its network in January 2020. On 247Sports, Late Kick became a national college football program whose analysis could reach local team sites and their audiences.

Pate's approach emphasized detailed arguments and a conversational connection with fans rather than sensational hot takes. His former 247Sports colleague Barton Simmons credited him with presenting an authentic on-camera personality, while 247Sports content executive Adam Stanco highlighted his understanding of what appeals to college football audiences.

In August 2024, Pate signed a new contract with CBS Sports and renamed Late Kick as Josh Pate's College Football Show. Production moved to Nashville, and the arrangement allowed Pate to retain ownership of the show while using CBS Sports' broader distribution network.

The program was acquired by On3 Sports in August 2025. That month, Pate also launched The Locker Room: CFB with former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan under the Bussin' With The Boys brand. ESPN announced that he would join the network as a contributor.

His college football work has included interviews with coaches such as Brent Venables and Shane Beamer, as well as an association with sports broadcaster Joel Klatt. His public profiles also identify Late Kick Live and the Late Kick Podcast among his hosting work.