ESPN Issues Final Warning to Laura Rutledge, Mina Kimes, and Other On-Air Talent

ESPN brass ordered Dan Orlovsky, Kendrick Perkins, Mina Kimes, and Laura Rutledge to cut their marketing ties with Papaya Gaming.

The mess started with a few social media posts about a solitaire app. But the worldwide leader wants no part of this mess. A judge denied Papaya’s request to dismiss the case early, citing allegations of fraud.

Now, to save the image, ESPN heads are trying hard to stay out of the controversy.

Laura Rutledge and Mina Kimes Caught in ESPN’s Latest On-Air Policy Crackdown

Stephen A. Smith was the primary star of Papaya’s ad campaign, promoting the solitaire game with a “#BeatStephen Challenge.” Smith went viral for playing solitaire on his phone during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He turned that embarrassment into a brand deal.

Initially, the promotion was a very straightforward game. Rutledge, Orlovsky, Perkins, Kimes, and Ros Gold-Onwude all posted paid advertisements with #ad and #BeatStephen tags. They invited fans to download the app and compete against Smith.

Then the actual roof caved in. Internal investigations began out of nowhere by keeping important details secret, and the court is reportedly coming down hard on the app.

They noted evidence suggesting Papaya used tailored bots to control tournament outcomes, enabling the company to determine winners and losers regardless of performance. A federal lawsuit accuses the company of falsely marketing games of skill while employing bots.

ESPN is ordering several on-air talents like Dan Orlovsky, Kendrick Perkins, Mina Kimes, and Laura Rutledge to cut their marketing ties to controversial Papaya Gaming, per Front Office Sports.

Stephen A. Smith was the primary star of Papaya’s ad campaign promoting the solitaire… pic.twitter.com/3ibv2BgVrM

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 13, 2025

Orlovsky and Rutledge deleted their promotional tweets as ESPN called its on-air talents out to finish the deal with Papaya immediately. That’s a massive red flag for network executives.

ALSO READ: Jason Brown Addresses Heated Dispute With ESPN’s Mina Kimes Over Alleged False Rape Controversy

ESPN is shuttering ESPN Bet and partnering with DraftKings. The network doesn’t need its personalities pushing controversial gaming apps. What they are actually searching for is the industry soul.

Mina Kimes Issues Public Apology While Rutledge and Orlovsky Stay Silent

Kimes publicly apologized for her involvement, calling it a “colossal f-up” on her part. She owned the mistake completely by making a no-nonsense tweet on X.

“The truth is I didn’t spend any time looking into the whole thing, and that’s 100% on me,” Kimes admitted. “Thought it was just typical marketing work, and I’m deeply embarrassed I didn’t vet it.”

She is at least taking responsibility. Rutledge and Dan have yet to say anything to my knowledge.👎ESPN is a mess with everything they touch. 🤔Old TNT show is not as good. Redzone is much worse than in other years. The beat goes on for fans. 🤮 https://t.co/g3LFOqivL1

— Tom S (@TomSportsInc) November 13, 2025

She even promised to give back the money if she ever receives any. But only she can help her much to get rid of the controversy.

Rutledge and Orlovsky haven’t said anything yet. Their silence is something fans have not liked much. In the process, Kimes got the coronet to break her radio silence, unlike everyone else.

The network looks bizarre across the board. Majority of the fans think ESPN botches everything it touches lately. For example, the old TNT show isn’t the same. Viewers lost their attention on RedZone. Seems like more problems are waiting on the way.

The question now is what First Take head Smith does. He’s the face of the campaign. ESPN hasn’t publicly addressed whether Smith received the same warning. It will be interesting to see how fans will react to this double standard.