Jourdan Rodrigue Sorry for 2013 Retweet Calling Dale Earnhardt a 'Bitch N---a'

Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue, who was the subject of sexist comments made by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton Wednesday, issued an apology for an offensive retweet on her Twitter account.

"I apologize for the offensive tweets sent from my Twitter account 4/5 years ago," Rodrigue said. "There is no excuse for these tweets and the sentiment behind them. I am deeply sorry and apologize."  

A 2013 retweet on Rodrigue's account, found by other users, included the words "Dale Earnhardts a bitch n---a."

Newton came under fire Wednesday after he made sexist remarks in response to a question Rodrigue asked him about routes run by Devin Funchess. 

"It's funny to hear a female talk about routes," Newton said. "It's funny."

An account of events that transpired after the comment was later published in the Observer by Scott Fowler:

"Newton said [Rodrigue] wasn't really seeing specific routes when watching the game, she was just seeing if somebody was open. She argued that he didn't know what she saw nor how hard she had studied football and that maybe the two of them needed to have a deeper conversation.

"Newton said that maybe he should have said it was funny to hear "reporters" talk about routes and that, if she actually did know about them, then she knew more than most reporters. Then he gestured toward the locker room, still filled with her colleagues."

Newton has not apologized for his comments. Yogurt company Dannon has pulled its sponsorship of the quarterback in light of the controversy, per USA Today's A.J. Perez.