Yep
@woodchuck I think this might get Newton outta here...
The Spun
ESPN Reporter Issues Apology For ‘Hurtful’ Comment To Carolina Panthers Player
A very bad mistake to make.
By
Tzvi Machlin
Senior writer, The Spun
Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) on the field before the gsme at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2025 4:49 PM EDTStart the Conversation
Key Points
- ESPN’s David Newton joked about Xavier Legette’s late father, sparking fan backlash.
- Newton publicly apologized, calling it “an innocent mistake, but a hurtful one.”
- Fans overwhelmingly rejected the apology, demanding Newton resign or be fired.
An ESPN reporter is under heavy fire from
Carolina Panthers fans after a pretty brutal mistake that he made while asking questions to wide receiver Xavier Legette.
In a recent locker room interview, ESPN’s David Newton spoke to Legette about the team’s upcoming game against the
Dallas Cowboys and his family’s Cowboys fandom growing up. But Newton made a mistake by joking that his father wouldn’t be rooting for the Cowboys this weekend. Legette’s father passed away several years ago.
“I’m thinkin’ he won’t be this week,” Newton remarked.
“For sure, for sure, ain’t a Cowboy fan… no more,” Legette said.
A backlash ensued over Newton’s mistake as Panthers fans got after him for make that remark. Newton was clearly made aware of his mistake and took to X later that day to apologize.
“I have been in touch with the Panthers and have also reached out to Xavier Legette to apologize for my question Thursday regarding his late father’s Cowboys fandom. There is no excuse for my forgetting a hard moment in X’s life. I have nothing but respect for Xavier. It was an innocent mistake on my part, but a hurtful one, and I hope he will accept my apology.
Apology Not Accepted?
While the apology appeared to be heartfelt, fans aren’t letting Newton get away with it. His post received over 500 comments on X, nearly all of which were criticizing him and calling for him to resign or be fired.
“If you remembered his dad was a Cowboys fan you remembered that his dad had passed. Your aren’t fooling anyone with your lame attempt to backtrack because you got called out,” one user replied.
“You didn’t forget his dad died. You wrote a story about it. There is 0% chance you are telling the truth here. Gross. You made a comment that his dead dad probably wouldn’t be a Dallas fan this week. Just an unnecessary thing to say. Now lying makes your true colors indisputable,” wrote another.
“Actions speak louder than words. And the proper response would be to resign,” a third suggested.
“Go ahead and resign. A mistake is a mistake, but when you have a track record for making bad ones, it’s a pattern. The best thing to do is apologize to him in person and then resign. Writing words on the internet is lazy.”
The moral of the story: You don’t need to try and make a joke out of every question.