'Unacceptable': Cam Newton faces social media condemnation for response to female reporter
Cam Newton’s response to a female reporter’s question has the Carolina Panthers QB facing criticism.
At Wednesday’s post-practice news conference, Panthers beat writer Jourdan Rodrigue asked Newton a perfectly valid question about wide receiver Devin Funchess. Newton responded by saying, “it’s funny to hear a female talking about routes.”
Cam Newton thinks it's "funny" to hear female reporters talk about routes. pic.twitter.com/eGXXadFwZN
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 4, 2017
Newton, who is the father to a baby girl born earlier this year, faced swift condemnation on social media for his remark.
I mean, it’s 2017, Cam.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) October 4, 2017
I think I'm gonna take a knee when I next see Cam Newton… https://t.co/MBblolIWVl
— Gayle Bass (@gaylebass) October 4, 2017
Was a fan of Cam Newton, but he laughs at a female reporter for asking about the routes he run, women understand football too #Sexistloser
— ClaressaT-rexShields (@Claressashields) October 4, 2017
Cam gotta write an apology in that weird sims font he uses for IG captions https://t.co/zxENqWjo5s
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) October 4, 2017
Cam, you've gotta be better than this by now. Age 28, seven years in the league, a father to a baby girl. Let's go, man. https://t.co/KyDf4QCPlg
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 4, 2017
If you replace "a female" with Cam Newton and replace "about routes" with "anything"……. then ….i wholeheartedly agree https://t.co/FDhUAsfv7g
— Elle Duncan (@elleduncanESPN) October 4, 2017
Oh come on. Welcome to 2017 Cam Newton, women have been covering sports for decades. @JourdanRodrigue deserves better than that. https://t.co/ofeu23Xq6J
— Lindsay Jones (@bylindsayhjones) October 4, 2017
Personally, I think it's funnier when males wear rompers.
K, I gotta go to work.
— Kristen Ledlow (@KristenLedlow) October 4, 2017
what cam said wasn't problematic because it wasn't smart. it was sexist. get it right. you don't necessarily smart your way or of that. https://t.co/TnZi13OWCc
— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) October 4, 2017
I'm on Cam Newton's side most of the time because I think he gets unfairly treated frequently both on the field and off. This ain't one of those instances. That was terrible
— Joey Gulino (@JGulinoYahoo) October 4, 2017
All I’ll say on the heated topic on the TL, is that for ME, the women on my TL give better Sports takes than maybe most of the men
— FOST (@GeorgeFoster72) October 4, 2017
The comment prompted a larger conversation about the sexism women in sports often face.
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
Statement from AWSM. pic.twitter.com/P1fVi3KRsz
— AWSM (@AWSM_SportMedia) October 4, 2017
People like Cam Newton are exactly why I do what I do.
— Melissa Jacobs (@thefootballgirl) October 4, 2017
What frustrates me about Cam Newton's comments: He's not joking around with friends, he's being condescending to a reporter doing her job
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) October 4, 2017
Every woman I know in this biz has interactions like that. Ask a question & get sighed at, laughed at or have basics explained to you.
— Rachel Axon (@RachelAxon) October 4, 2017
Every female sports reporter has encountered a neanderthal like Cam Newton over the course of her career. They go low. We go high.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) October 4, 2017
Rodrigue definitely didn’t find Newton’s response “funny”, but tweeted she’s focusing on continuing to do her job, as she should.
I don't think it's "funny" to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 4, 2017
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
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