Pat Mcafee Publicly Apologizes To College Student Months After Sharing False Story That 'ruined' Her Life

ESPN big Pat McAfee issued a nationalist apology to a University of Mississippi student aft amplifying a mendacious rumor astir her that she said "ruined" her life.

McAfee addressed nan business pinch Mary Kate Cornett on his show Wednesday, months aft he first mentioned a mendacious rumor astir an Ole Miss student allegedly sleeping pinch her boyfriend's father. The rumor began connected YikYak, an anonymous societal media level celebrated pinch immoderate assemblage students, and was referenced by McAfee during 1 of his shows backmost successful February.

The erstwhile NFL subordinate and existent sports commentator said Wednesday that he learned it was untrue and nan anguish it caused Cornett only aft he shared.

"I tin now happily stock pinch you that I precocious sewage to meet Mary Kate and her family," McAfee said. "And I sewage a chance to sincerely apologize to them and admit that what I said astir Mary Kate was based solely connected what others were saying connected nan internet."

Mary Kate Cornett.Ignacio Torres / NBC News

McAfee besides admit nan magnitude of clip it took for him to publically apologize astir nan situation, saying he wanted to speak to nan Cornett family privately first. He called them "wonderful people."

"And I'm very thankful that they gave maine nan opportunity to show them really sorry I was that this each happened and that our show was a portion of this," McAfee said. "I profoundly regret nan symptom that was caused."

He added that he "hated" seeing what his show was a portion of successful interviews Cornett made successful nan aftermath of nan wide circulated mendacious story.

Cornett told NBC News successful April that she and her family faced a barrage of harassment aft nan rumor went viral. She said that her family's location was "swatted," which is erstwhile a mendacious study is made to constabulary to elicit an overwhelming rule enforcement consequence to a home.

She said that her individual number was shared online, which led to thousands of calls of texts from strangers. Some of them told Cornett that she "deserved to die," she said.

“Having your life ruined by group who person nary thought who you are is nan worst emotion successful nan world,” Cornett said. “It makes you consciousness truthful alone. It’s a horrible experience.”

Within hours of nan station connected YikYak, Cornett said she noticed group connected field staring astatine her and her sanction becoming a trending taxable connected X. She said different media personalities who worked for Barstool Sports went connected to stock nan rumor aft McAfee's show.

Dave Portnoy, nan proprietor of Barstool Sports, denied that nan tract dispersed nan rumor successful a connection to Rolling Stone. He did, however, admit that a Barstool Sports worker shared thing related to nan rumor connected his individual societal media.

McAfee referenced nan incident connected his show days aft Cornett said to NBC News, telling his viewers that he hoped to "make some benignant of metallic lining in a very unspeakable situation." He did not mention Cornett by name.

On Wednesday, he said he hopes that this tin beryllium thing that everyone learns from.

"Our extremity pinch this show is to make nan world a happier place, a amended spot ... I cognize we don't ever get it right," McAfee said. "But we'll ne'er extremity trying."