QB NEWTON ON SEXIST REMARKS: COMMENTS WERE UNACCEPTABLE

Cam Newton apologized Thursday night in a Twitter video post for sexist comments made to a female reporter.

"After careful thought, I understand that my word choice was extremely degrading and disrespectful to women," the Carolina Panthers quarterback said at the start of the nearly two-minute video. "To be honest, that was not my intentions. And if you are a person who took offense to what I said, I sincerely apologize to you."

On Wednesday when Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue asked the 2015 NFL MVP about wide receiver Devin Funchess' route running, Newton laughed and said, "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes. It's funny."

In the video, Newton said he's a man who strives to be a positive role model in the community and who tries to use his platform to inspire others. He said he takes ownership to everything that comes with that. "What I did was extremely unacceptable," Newton said. "I'm a father to two beautiful daughters and I try to instill in them that they can be anything that they want to be. The fact that during this process I have already lost sponsors and countless fans I realize that the joke is really on me. I have really learned a valuable lesson from this."

Newton also sent a message to the "young people" who follow him.

"Don't be like me," Newton said. "Be better than me. To the reporters, to the journalists, to the moms, the super moms, the daughters, the sisters all around the world I sincerely apologize and hope that you can find the kindness in your heart to forgive me. Thank you." Newton's remarks have proven costly. Dannon, the maker of Oikos yogurt, cut ties with spokesman Newton on Thursday.