Top WWE Announcer Issues Public Apology After Very Controversial Remarks, The Rock Not Returning To WWE Anytime Soon, Mercedes Mone Slams WWE Fan
Despite the first-ever two-night WWE SummerSlam 2025 pay-per-view event being just around the corner, BodySlam.net is reporting that there is no talk internally regarding Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson coming in for a WWE return any time in the near future.
ESPN host and former NFL player Pat McAfee has issued a public apology to University of Mississippi student Mary Kate Cornett, months after referencing a false and damaging rumor about her on his show.
The incident stemmed from a baseless claim that circulated on YikYak, an anonymous social media platform, alleging that a female Ole Miss student had slept with her boyfriend’s father. McAfee repeated the rumor on air back in February, unaware at the time that it was false. On Wednesday, he addressed the matter directly during “The Pat McAfee Show,” expressing regret and taking responsibility for amplifying the misinformation. He said,
“I can now happily share with you that I recently got to meet Mary Kate and her family. And I got a chance to sincerely apologize to them and acknowledge that what I said about Mary Kate was based solely on what others were saying on the internet.”
McAfee admitted it took time to issue a public apology, explaining that he wanted to first speak with the Cornett family privately. He described them as “wonderful people” and said he was grateful for the opportunity to express his remorse directly. He said,
“I deeply regret the pain that was caused. I hated seeing what my show was a part of after watching her interviews and hearing what she went through.”
In an April interview with NBC News, Cornett shared the devastating fallout she experienced after the rumor went viral. She and her family were harassed relentlessly. Their home was “swatted” — a dangerous prank involving a false emergency call to trigger a police raid — and her personal phone number was leaked online, leading to thousands of messages, including death threats.
The rumor spread rapidly, gaining traction not only through social media but also through mentions by media figures connected to Barstool Sports. While Barstool founder Dave Portnoy denied the company formally promoted the claim, he acknowledged that one of their employees did reference it on a personal account.
McAfee briefly mentioned the incident earlier this year without naming Cornett, stating he hoped something positive could eventually come from the situation. On Wednesday, he was more direct and reflective. He said,
“Our goal with this show is to make the world a happier place, a better place… I know we don’t always get it right. But we’ll never stop trying.”
Cornett’s father, Justin Cornett, told NBC News that the family accepted McAfee’s apology. He stated,
“It was refreshing to stand by Mary Kate’s side and see a man that made a mistake look her in the eyes and apologize with sincerity. Now the healing can begin.”
Since debuting for the company in March 2024, Mone has enjoyed a plethora of success in AEW. During her ongoing reign as TBS Champion (424 days and counting), Mone has defeated huge names like Kris Statlander, Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale, Mina Shirakawa, Anna Jay, Hikaru Shida, and Britt Baker. Mone was even undefeated in a singles action until AEW All In Texas, where she was defeated by Toni Storm.
On Wednesday, ‘The C.E.O’ made some headlines in her Instagram comments, responding to a “fan” that told her to “bring yo fine ass back to WWE”.
And finally, the official Twitter account of Rolling Loud sent out a tweet tagging Triple H, as you can see below:
yoooo what’s good @TripleH
— Rolling Loud (@RollingLoud) July 23, 2025