Cam Newton Found It ‘Funny To Hear A Female Talk About Routes’ At A Press Conference

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers sit at 3-1 and are currently in second place in the NFC South coming off of their biggest win of the regular season in New England on Sunday. Despite some inconsistent play, things are generally good in Carolina. Newton is playing well. The Panthers are playing well. Everything is fine, which makes Newton’s comments aimed at a female reporter after practice on Wednesday exceedingly strange, although under any circumstances they would be unacceptable.

The Observer’s Carolina Panthers beat reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue, asked Newton a pretty standard question regarding Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess. Newton decided to preface his answer with a bizarre ‘joke’ about the hilarity of a female asking about route running. It was an awkward and incredibly sexist attempt at humor from Newton.

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Rodrigue: “I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well. 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 seeing him truck stick people out there?”

Newton: “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes. It’s funny.”

Newton would go on to answer the question like nothing happened, but it clearly bothered Rodrique, and for good reason. Newton’s comments were ignorant on the surface, but the story doesn’t end there. Rodrique followed up with Newton after his press conference, and apparently, it got worse from there.

https://twitter.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/915682599326162945

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It’s a terrible look for Newton, and if what he said to her off camera was worse and ends up coming out this will only become a bigger story. The response is also yet another reminder of the general misogyny that exists in the football world, especially towards women that discuss the intricacies of the game.

UPDATE: Carolina Panthers Spokesman Steven Juston made a statement following Newton’s comments on Wednesday.

“I have spoken to Jourdan and Cam and I know they had a conversation where he expressed regret for using those words. We strive as a department to make the environment for comfortable for everyone covering the team.”