This is part one of a three part series profiling how lesser known professional athletes are making a name for themselves in the world of Social Media.

How many NFL punters can claim they’ve been featured on TMZ? How many can say they host their own UStream talk show?  How many can also say they’ve dabbled in the worlds of pro wrestling and MLS soccer?

There really is only one. Pat McAfee is the punter for the Indianapolis Colts. His Twitter account (@PatMcAfeeShow) has become a social hub where he connects with his fans and shows off his unique personality to a follower base that is engaging and quickly growing.

Many may know McAfee from his October incident at an Indianapolis canal where he took a drunken swim and was later arrested after attempting to enter a woman’s car while intoxicated. When asked by police how much he had to drink, McAfee responded “a lot …’cause I am drunk.” The story was also featured nationally by entertainment news juggernaut TMZ. He was ultimately suspended by the Colts for one game.

Following a public apology, McAfee found his own way of laughing at his canal episode by creating “I swam with Pat McAfee” t-shirts and making a St. Patrick’s Day video of him exercising with a shake-weight in the same canal that got him in trouble just months earlier.

While most people treat kickers and punters in the NFL as second-rate athletes, Pat McAfee has found his niche through social media. He now hosts his own talk show, “The Pat McAfee Show” on the video broadcast website Ustream. His guests have included Indy Star’s Bob Kravitz, Colts LB Gary Brackett, and various other Colts players. Beyond the talk show being a great way to increase his visibility with the fans, it is also has to be a pretty good way to keep busy during the current NFL lockout.

McAfee’s other special talents include talks of a possible stand-up comedy tour, a victory over a wrestler named “War Pig”, and a lost video of him trying to endorse Tampax tampons. You can’t even make this stuff up.

As long as he is allowed to keep speaking his mind, and can stay out of the Indianapolis canals, “The Pat McAfee Show” will reach even more people. He has already started to win over Patriot fans. There are no other athletes putting on full-fledged late night talk show productions like he has. I think it’s safe to say he’s not just your average punter.

Make sure to follow @PatMcAfeeShow on Twitter and on his website http://www.ThePatMcAfeeShow.com

Stay tuned for part two in our series of professional athlete success stories.The next athlete to be profiled is the starting left fielder for the Florida Marlins, Logan Morrison (@LoMoMarlins)