In a video message posted to his Twitter account, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton issued an apology for saying during a press conference Wednesday that it was "funny" to hear a female reporter ask about a receiver’s running routes.
“The fact that during this whole process I’ve already lost sponsors and countless fans, I realize the joke is really on me. I’ve learned a valuable lesson from this,” Newton says in his apology.
Newton was responding to a question from Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue on Wednesday when he said, "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes."
The NFL has released a statement calling Newton's comment "just plain wrong and disrespectful" to female reporters and all journalists who cover the league. Yogurt-maker Dannon says it's cutting ties with Newton, who had been a spokesman for the company. Meanwhile, Rodrigue has tweeted an apology for some of her previous social media remarks, including a 2013 tweet that used the "n-word."