ESPN host Pat McAfee issued a public apology to a University of Mississippi student after he amplified a false rumor about her that she said "ruined" her life.
McAfee addressed the situation with Mary Kate Cornett on his show Wednesday, months after he first mentioned a false rumor about an Ole Miss student's allegedly sleeping with her boyfriend's father. The rumor began circulating on YikYak, an anonymous social media platform popular with some college students, and McAfee referred to it during one of his shows in February.
McAfee, a former NFL player, said Wednesday that he learned that the story was untrue and the anguish it caused Cornett only after he shared it.
"I can now happily share with you that I recently got to meet Mary Kate and her family," McAfee said. "And I got a chance to sincerely apologize to them and acknowledge that what I said about Mary Kate was based solely on what others were saying on the internet."
McAfee also acknowledges the length of time it took for him to publicly apologize, saying he wanted to speak to the Cornett family privately first. He called her and her family "wonderful people."
"And I'm very thankful that they gave me the opportunity to tell them how sorry I was that this all happened and that our show was a part of this," McAfee said. "I deeply regret the pain that was caused."
He added that he "hated" seeing what his show was a part of in interviews Cornett gave in the aftermath of the widely circulated false story.
Cornett told NBC News in April that she and her family faced a barrage of harassment after the rumor went viral. She said her family's home was "swatted," which is when a false report is made to police to elicit an overwhelming law enforcement response to a home.
She said her personal number was shared online, which led to thousands of calls and texts from strangers. Some of them told Cornett that she "deserved to die," she said.
“Having your life ruined by people who have no idea who you are is the worst feeling in the world,” Cornett said. “It makes you feel so alone. It’s a horrible experience.”
Within hours of the post on YikYak, Cornett said, she noticed people on campus staring at her and her name becoming a trending topic on X. She said other media personalities who worked for Barstool Sports went on to share the rumor after McAfee's show.
Dave Portnoy, the owner of Barstool Sports, denied that the site spread the rumor in a statement to Rolling Stone. He did, however, acknowledge that a Barstool Sports employee shared something related to the rumor on his personal social media.
McAfee referred to the incident on his show days after Cornett spoke to NBC News, telling his viewers that he hoped to "make some sort of silver lining in a very terrible situation." He did not mention Cornett by name.
On Wednesday, he said he hopes the episode can be something that everyone learns from.
"Our goal with this show is to make the world a happier place, a better place. ... I know we don't always get it right," McAfee said. "But we'll never stop trying."
Cornett's father, Justin, told NBC News on Wednesday that the family appreciated McAfee's on-air apology. He added that the matter was "settled to each party's satisfaction."
"It was refreshing to stand by Mary Kate's side and see a man that made a mistake look her in the eyes and apologize with sincerity," he said. "Now the healing can begin."
