
Mary Kate Cornett vs. ESPN: How a Viral Rumor Sparked a Legal Storm and Changed a Student’s Life
In February 2025, Mary Kate Cornett, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Mississippi, became the unwilling focus of a false and salacious rumor that spread like wildfire online. The rumor was baseless, but it was amplified on one of the largest stages in sports media — ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. What followed was…