WWE Raw Announcer Pat McAfee Could Face Legal Action
Pat McAfee could be the subject of new legal action.
According to a new report from The Athletic, Pat McAfee could face legal action for comments made on the February 26 edition of The Pat McAfee Show broadcast on ESPN.
The episode was filmed in Indianapolis during NFL combine week, with ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter serving as the featured guest. However, to the discomfort of Schefter, McAfee was intent on not discussing Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, and instead, focused on a supposed online “report,” alleging that a freshman at the university had been having sex with her boyfriend’s father.
While Schefter tried to move the conversation to Dart, McAfee joked about Ole Miss dads being in the combine as another voice chimed in “Ole Miss dads are slinging meat right now.”
It’s since been revealed that the unsubstantiated rumour was posted on the anonymous messaging app YikYak before spreading across social media. Former NFL receiver Antonio Brown, KFC Barstool, and Jack Mac of Barstool Sports among others also commented on the false claims. This also saw ESPN radio hosts in St. Louis picking apart the supposed “saga” on its morning show.
Mary Kate Cornett, the student at the centre of the controversy, has now opened up about how the whirlwind of publicity has ruined her life.
As the claims spread, Cornett had vile notes pushed under her dorm room door before eventually being moved into emergency housing. Her phone number was subsequently posted online and she received a series of degrading messages, with one man laughing before calling her a “naughty girl” and asking her to phone him back. Another said he also had a son is she is “interested.”
In addition, texts from unknown numbers bombarded her phone, calling her a “sl*t” and a wh*re” while others told her to kill herself.
The Houston Police’s Homicide Division also showed up at her mother’s house with guns drawn after a “swatting” incident. This is when someone falsely reports a crime in an effort to get emergency services sent to an address.
In the wake of the disgusting abuse, Cornett has obtained legal representation and intends to take action against McAfee and ESPN.
“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.”
The first-year business major added that she can no longer leave her residence without people shouting abuse at her.
“I (can’t) even walk on campus without people taking pictures of me or screaming my name or saying super vulgar, disgusting things to me,”
Pat McAfee No Stranger To Controversy
Since his show began broadcasting on ESPN in 2023, McAfee has been forced to apologise on several occasions for inappropriate comments. These included referring to WNBA star Caitlin Clark as a “White bi”ch,” and making jokes about USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused hundreds of women and girls.
NFL star Aaron Rodgers also used an appearance on the show to suggest that Jimmy Kimmel had links to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In March 2025, Pat McAfee apologised for comments made during WWE Elimination Chamber. In the minutes before the show went on air, fans in Canada booed the American national anthem, something McAfee continued to bring up and criticise throughout the pay-per-view.