Oregon State Tight End Rocco Carley Dismissed From Team After Racist Language Surfaces

Oregon State tight end Rocco Carley was dismissed from the team on Thursday after audio surfaced of him using racist language, according to the Salem Statesman Journal's Pete Martini. 

The recording featured Carley using racist language to describe Black Americans, Muslims and LGBTQ+ people. 

“I became aware of the comments made by Rocco Carley earlier this evening. I immediately shared the audio with [athletic director] Scott Barnes,” Oregon State head football coach Jonathan Smith said in a statement. “We both agreed this language and attitude is entirely unacceptable, regardless of circumstances or environment. I spoke with Rocco and dismissed him from the team. I will not tolerate racism or hate speech.”

Carley apologized for the recording—which occurred in 2017—on Thursday. 

“To may family, my community, and everyone I have associated with, I am sorry,” Carley said. “This does not condone anything of what I have said, but I promise to you all that this video does not represent me. I was doing an accent of a Southern man and giving a very satire example of what we all thought would be funny. This in no way, shape or form makes what I said right.”

The 6' 6" tight end redshirted his freshman season with the Beavers in 2019. He is a graduate of Kennedy High School in Mt. Angel, Ore.