Ron Rivera: Cam Newton 'Made a Mistake'

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Thursday that quarterback Cam Newton "made a mistake" when he directed a sexist comment at a female reporter during a press conference Wednesday, according to Pro Football Talk.  

“Cam made a mistake," Rivera said. "I understand he had a conversation where he pretty much said he shouldn’t have said what he said. As far as I’m concerned, what I’d like to do is talk about getting ready for the Detroit Lions.”

Jourdan Rodrigue, a Panthers beat reporter for The Charlotte Observer, asked Newton a question about Devin Funchess's style of running routes.

Newton started chuckling to himself before she was finished with her question. He then said "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes. It's funny."

The Panthers issued a statement saying Newton and Rodrigue talked, saying that Newton expressed "regret."

But Rodrigue said in a response to a tweet that Newton did not apologize after the incident.

The yogurt manufacturer Dannon, which sponsors the quarterback, dropped Newton on Thursday and said it was "shocked and disheartened at the behavior and comments of Cam Newton towards Jourdan Rodrigue, which we perceive as sexist and disparaging to all women."