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Barstool Sports seems to be putting forth a full-court press of apologies to Ole Miss freshman Mary Kate Cornett after the company played a seemingly influential role in proliferating a false rumor about her. Founder Dave Portnoy did an apologetic interview with NBC Nightly News, while additional underling employees have posted apologies on social media.
In addition to Dave Portnoy’s public apology on NBC Nightly News, in which he said his company’s involvement in the saga makes him want to “throw up,” Barstool Sports employees Jack McGuire and Kevin Clancy have also issued public apologies to Mary Kate Cornett.
Additionally, the NBC News report indicated that Portnoy and Barstool lawyers were given two options: litigation or mediation, with Portnoy opting for the latter.
Given that the apologies from Portnoy, Clancy and McGuire seem to be coordinated, it’s possible that public apologies are a condition of a prospective deal between the two sides.
“In February, I made a few comments surrounding the horrible rumors about Mary Kate Cornett’s alleged affair. I now understand those rumors are fake and the affair did not happen. I regret these comments and want to apologize to Mary Kate, her boyfriend, and both of their families. I will learn from this massive mistake,” McGuire wrote on social media while linking to a foundation started by Cornett’s family to combat cyber bullying.
“Apology for post about Mary Kate Cornett. I shouldn’t have made that video, it was stupid and lame on many levels,” Clancy, an original Barstool employee, captioned his apology video.
Apology for post about Mary Kate Cornett. I shouldn’t have made that video, it was stupid and lame on many levels. pic.twitter.com/UGXiT9T6cL
— KFC (@KFCBarstool) April 11, 2025
Earlier this month, in an interview with The Athletic — her first interview since the false rumor about her went viral in late February — Cornett said that she intended to sue The Pat McAfee Show, Barstool Sports, and others who spread the story about her.
According to Cornett, she wants to hold people accountable for “ruining her life,” as she was forced to transition to online classes at Ole Miss due to the abuse she received, while also saying she now worries about things like her ability to get a job and her future children finding the stories about her.
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