Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was in a relaxed mood while addressing the media on Wednesday afternoon following a hugely impressive performance against the New England Patriots last weekend, but after a question from a Panthers beat reporter from the local newspaper he let slip one of the most disparagingly sexist comments seen by an athlete in recent memory.
Newton has rightfully come under a lot of fire over in the States for the manner in which he casually took a moment before answering a question on the routes that his wide-receivers had been running to declare the fact that a female asked the question as "funny".
The press conference was being streamed live and recorded, and it makes Cam Newton look like an ignorant man-child.
Here's the video of Cam Newton saying "it's funny to hear a female talk about routes" pic.twitter.com/hd9Kg4CCeu
— Carlin & Reese (@CarlinReeseWIP) October 4, 2017
Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards, does that give you a little bit of enjoyment to see him impressing people out there?
It's funny to hear a female talk about routes.. Funny.
There can be no defending that. As the face of an NFL franchise, as someone who is marketed to high-heaven and presented as 'Superman' for his signature celebration... For him to so brazenly disparage not only Jourdan Rodrigue - the experienced journalist who asked a perfectly legitimate question - but every woman working in professional football?
Caveman stuff, and it gets worse.
Rodrigue has since revealed that she wanted an explanation for Newton's reaction, only to realise that it was no accident.
I spoke with him after and it was worse. I chose not to share, because I have an actual job to do today and one he will not keep me from.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 4, 2017
Some have argued that Newton's comments were not that bad, but why would he say that? What purpose did it serve? There was nothing even remotely funny about Rodrigue asking that question, she's a professional who was there because she is an expert on the Carolina Panthers.
To say that in response to a legitimate question for @JourdanRodrigue is so backwards and disrespectful to her and to women
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) October 4, 2017
Ladies - do not feel forced into defending our sports knowledge. This is on Cam Newton - NOT ON US. Unacceptable in 2017 to go back to this
— Laura Okmin (@LauraOkmin) October 4, 2017
"I will never forgive him for those comments. Those comments are sexist, embarrassing, pathetic and disgraceful." -@AdamSchein on Cam Newton pic.twitter.com/0jfUZP6e4O
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) October 4, 2017
Statement from #Panthers beat reporter @JourdanRodrigue on Cam Newton’s comments & response pic.twitter.com/vmffxQ7Jra
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 4, 2017
If Cam Newton believes in his own outdated views on women in the workplace, then that's one, unfortunate, thing, but to broadcast them to the world as shamelessly as he did is just a really classless move.
Even if he didn't say 'female', if he said 'reporter' instead, it still would have been a really condescending thing to say and extremely unprofessional for an NFL quarterback and team captain, but by making it about her gender he literally suggested that her doing her job was strange.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Panthers make him publicly respond, but Newton has lost the respect of millions with this act of stupidity.
