ESPN reporter apologizes for insensitive question about Xavier Legette’s father

David Newton, ESPN’s Carolina Panthers beat reporter, has offered an apology to wide receiver Xavier Legette over an insensitive question about his father.

As the Panthers prepare to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Newton was among a group of reporters speaking with Legette in the locker room on Thursday. The receiver, who is in his second season with the Panthers, fielded a question from Newton about his upcoming opponent, which was followed up with a comment about his father.

“The Cowboys are always America’s Team. Did you grow up following them?” Newton asked.

“Yeah, when I was little, my daddy was a Cowboy fan,” said Legette.

“I’m thinkin’ he won’t be this week,” added Newton.

“For sure, for sure, ain’t a Cowboy fan… no more,” responded Legette, while looking away and deeply sighing before he was asked another question.

Legette’s father died of a heart attack in 2019, while his mother passed after a battle with cancer four years prior. Newton actually wrote about this in an ESPN profile on the wide receiver last year.

There was a groundswell of Panthers fans, many of whom already disliked Newton due to his coverage over the years, for him to acknowledge and apologize for his remarks. The ESPN reporter did just that on Saturday.

“I have been in touch with the Panthers and have also reached out to Xavier Legette to apologize for my question Thursday regarding his late father’s Cowboys fandom,” Newton wrote on X. “There is no excuse for my forgetting a hard moment in X’s life. I have nothing but respect for Xavier. It was an innocent mistake on my part, but a hurtful one, and I hope he will accept my apology.”

We surmised in our initial post that this was most likely an unfortunate oversight on Newton’s part, and we should take his word on the matter. Regardless, the incident appears to have strengthened the resolve of some Carolina fans who dislike the longtime ESPN reporter’s coverage of their team.