On Tuesday, during his event called "Big Night Aht," Pat McAfee addressed the Mary Kay Cornett issue for the first time since being accused of carelessly spreading untrue gossip regarding the Ole Miss newcomer’s private matters just a week prior.
The ex-NFL punter was giving a speech about yet another legally tricky circumstance — Brett Favre's defamation lawsuit against someone else that was eventually resolved — when he turned to Cornett, without ever naming her. He did not apologize, but he did say he didn't want to be the cause of negativity in a person's life and promised a "silver lining."
McAfee's full comments:
I’m okay with Brett; similar to how things stand now, many people insist that I should face legal action. Let me clarify: under no circumstances would I wish for negativity in anyone’s life. That isn’t who I am. Regarding these situations, let me make something clear—my attorneys are from Pittsburgh, and they’re present tonight. It’s true that one of their offices has received contributions from me before. Their approach mirrors mine—they show compassion yet remain grounded in practicality.
Regarding everything unfolding at the moment, I chose not to contribute further negative energy, unlike what happened before. Instead, we aim to find a way to create some positivity amid this awful circumstance. You have my word on this; it shouldn’t be too difficult to continue supporting me moving ahead.
Last week, McAfee faced significant criticism following the release of an article by The Athletic's Katie Strang In this instance, the 18-year-old Cornett detailed how the impact of the false rumor has affected her life ever since McAfee, along with individuals from Barstool Sports and other sources, began circulating it.
Mary Kate Cornett tells Pat McAfee, "You're destroying my life."
On February 26, McAfee addressed the rumors during an appearance on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" with Adam Schefter as a guest. Similar to his previous remarks, McAfee didn’t explicitly mention Cornett’s name; however, he gave sufficient information for viewers to easily identify the individual involved.
Following these events, Cornett claimed she had to relocate to emergency accommodation while transitioning away from attending classes physically at Ole Miss. During this period, she faced a barrage of voice mails and text messages containing demeaning content, including some that pressured her into taking her own life. Additionally, she asserted that her partner endured harassment, her octogenarian grandfather got an unwelcome late-night phone call, and her mother’s residence experienced a swatting incident—where someone falsely reports a criminal activity to provoke law enforcement intervention.
McAfee mentioned that "many individuals" suggested Cornett ought to file a lawsuit against him. Among these individuals is Cornett herself, who informed The Athletic about her intention to pursue legal action against both McAfee and ESPN.
Cornett sought legal counsel and stated her intention to pursue actions against McAfee and ESPN, the network broadcasting his program, as well as possibly other individuals who propagated the rumors. "I believe those responsible should face consequences," she remarked. "By discussing this on your show purely for attention, you're destroying my life, yet I find myself awake until 5 AM each night, unable to eat due to anxiety over how this will affect the remainder of my future."
McAfee joined ESPN as an analyst in 2019 and brought his "Pat McAfee Show" to the network in 2023 on an eight-year, $85 million deal. The show has been a source of considerable controversy since then, including when McAfee apologized for referring to Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark as a "white bitch." " and when His buddy Aaron Rodgers supposedly accused Jimmy Kimmel of being a pedophile during a broadcast. .
