"Disgusting";"They have no shame": NFL fans rip Mina Kimes, Stephen A. Smith, Dan Orlovsky for promoting Solitaire Cash app amid rigging lawsuit

NFL analysts Stephen A. Smith and Mina Kimes are facing backlash from fans over their association with a controversial real-money gaming app called Solitaire Cash.

Solitare Cash is operated by Papaya Gaming, a company facing allegations of rigging games, according to journalist Alex Weldon. The company is accused of "pitting human players against computer-controlled adversaries."

Amid the ongoing lawsuit against the company, Smith and Kimes' association with Papaya's Solitaire Cash has drawn criticism from NFL fans.

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"Literally just copying pasting. They have no shame either lol I'm kind of glad Pat McAfee isn't for the bullshit lol" "This is somehow worse than crypto. And I work in crypto." "Disgusting. I’m literally in tears right now." "I like Mina Kimes but WTF is actually happening at ESPN. Are personalities really that desperate for cash to promote an AI solitaire game? How down are you guys?" "'solitaire' is old people flirt. These seniors are shameless."

Apart from Smith and Kimes, ESPN analysts Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge, Ros Gold-Onwude and Kendrick Perkins also posted on X promoting the app.

Smith, who went viral after being spotted playing solitaire during Game 4 of the NBA Finals in June, has been named the ambassador for the first ever World Solitaire Championship in February.

Stephen A. Smith's association with Solitaire gaming company comes amid legal trouble

The lawsuit against Papaya Gaming was filed in March by their competitors, Skillz Platform Inc., accusing the company of rigging games and commitimg fraud through misleading advertisements.

The company made Stephen A. Smith the brand ambassador a few days after a federal judge in New York rejected Papaya’s request for summary judgment.

“It is undisputed that Papaya used tailored bots to control the outcomes of tournaments,” the judge wrote. “By doing so, Papaya could prevent players from winning –- or allow them to win — no matter how they performed in the game.”

Papaya Gaming has denied the allegations, saying the lawsuit is part of Skillz's litigation strategy. Papaya has also accused Skillz of using bots as counterclaims in the ongoing lawsuit.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash