Commentators getting under the bus in recent memory have hit the college football world the hardest. Be it Kirk Herbstreit catching fire from the internet over on-wheel live streaming or Pat McAfee getting into legal trouble, the drama continues. The signature voice of the Pat McAfee show on ESPN may face the consequences of a viral rumor this year. The super energetic sports commentator never holds back when it comes to dropping raw takes. But this time, he rubbed a 19-year-old Ole Miss student the wrong way. Can he seem to avoid court trouble? Recite the rosary!
Being upfront and spontaneous with your audience as a global commentator is commendable. But defining the thin line between humor and humiliation is important, too. Otherwise, be ready to pay back like this. The meat of the debate? An Ole Miss college freshman, Mary Kate Cornett, has been dealing with an obnoxious claim that she cheated on her boyfriend with the latter’s father back in February. In today’s AI-centered world, it’s very easy to spread rumors and not to cross-check. But it can wreak havoc on someone’s social and emotional life. McAfee served his 3.2 million followers by beating the bush around a juicy gossip back on February 26th. McAfee didn’t name-call her. But it was never a secret whom he wanted to malice with a chat session with NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Now, what will be the consequence? If the verbal call-out was the only drawback, the ESPN commentator can flex his luck or leave it for God’s credit. But there is a fear creeping into the fans’ inquisitive headspace. NFL insider Dov Kleiman took the matter a little too far, saying the girl can legitimately claim some big money, suing them (ESPN, Barstool, McAfee) on the defamation charge. Several Barstool employees also contributed to spreading the rumor. A few of them have since apologized to Mary Cornett. Even their founder, Dave Portnoy, issues an apology for his company’s role in spreading the rumor.
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Mary Kate Cornett could potentially make MILLIONS of dollars from Barstool Sports, ESPN, and Pat McAfee if she decides to sue for defamation, per @spencerinvestor pic.twitter.com/S5LU24Y2GZ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 19, 2025
Cornett has already issued a chilling warning through The Athletic that she wants McAfee, ESPN, and others who contributed to the rumor to pay the price. “I would like people to be held accountable for what they’ve done,” she said. “You’re ruining my life by talking about it on your show for nothing but attention. But here I am staying up until 5 in the morning, every night, throwing up, not eating because I’m so anxious about what’s going to happen for the rest of my life.”
So, the rumors weren’t something too far-fetched to happen at all. The ESPN mogul himself could sense the brutal aftermath of his actions and issued a formal apology to the victim. But it could be too late to defend.
Pat McAfee made a petty damage control for his acts
McAfee has always been a controversy magnet in his highly vocal career. He received heat from Brett Favre in the past for alleged false claims of a welfare fund allocation. Later, Favre didn’t hold back from bringing a defamation charge. McAfee didn’t learn from his mistake. The tendency to leak anything up in the air without proper, thorough research and serve it with an ounce of humor is menacing.
The girl, in a bombastic confession, told NBC News that McAfee’s comedic pleasure has “practically ruined my life.” She said that an established sports commentator should have some social and ethical responsibility to fuel a rumor that has zero base.Cornett’s attorney, Monica Uddin, also believed her client fell victim to heavy cyberbullying. They can easily take a legal step against McAfee to amp it up.
So, McAfee knows best how it feels to get embroiled in court matters. He had the muscle memory intact. He has issued a 3-word statement on his Pat McAfee Show as last-minute damage control. The sports freak wrote, “p.s.. Don’t sue us” at the end of a content disclaimer. He wants to sell it as a safe play: “It is meant to be comedic informative. The opinions expressed on this show do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of their peers, their boss, or ESPN.”
But the words came out hollow as a girl’s fighting for her life (emotionally) for his irresponsible acts. Believe that McAfee’s flying into the face of danger.
The post Rumor: Pat McAfee Could Be Sued for Millions After Defaming Ole Miss Student as 3-Word Plea Fails to Stop ESPN & Barstool Controversy appeared first on EssentiallySports.
