Newton plays off sexist remark as misunderstood compliment

Cam Newton claims it was all just one big misunderstanding when he dismissed a female reporter's question about running routes.

According to Newton, when he said it was "funny to hear a female talk about routes," he was actually trying to give Jourdan Rodrigue of The Charlotte Observer a sarcastic compliment.

"It was a lesson learned for me the whole week. My sarcasm trying to give somebody kind of a compliment turned in ways I never would have imagined," Newton said Sunday.

"But like I said, I'm a man of God, a man that has an unbelievable supporting cast of fans, great teammates, great coaches, as well as family members and friends that kept me up all week."

Newton was thoroughly denounced all week for his sexist remark, which he apologized for. The NFL released a statement calling Newton "plain wrong" and "disrespectful" while the quarterback also lost a sponsorship.

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