Ex-New England Patriots QB Apologizes for ‘Racially Insensitive’ Comment About Cam Newton: ‘Sorry If My Comments Offended You’

Scott Zolak, former New England Patriots quarterback and current radio analyst on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub apologized after his comments about Cam Newton from last week generated widespread negative attention.

Zolak is known by Boston sports fans for his unapologetically brash commentary. But after making the claim that rap music being played during Patriots practice was distracting for Newton, Zolak couldn’t remain unapologetic.

“I’d turn off the rap music first of all,” Zolak said last Thursday. “Because I think it’s distracting for Cam here. Because in between every throw he’s dancing.”

The 53-year-old retired NFL quarterback waited a few days before addressing the comment, but he finally issued an apology Sunday afternoon during the Patriots pregame show on 98.5 The Sports Hub. With Friday being an off-day for Zolak, Sunday was his first time back on-air since the controversy.

Here are Zolak’s full comments from today: pic.twitter.com/wbaCF2L0NY

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 29, 2021

Zolak addressed his comments again Monday morning during his weekday radio show on The Sports Hub, to ensure both audiences heard his apology.

“Obviously, stuff that I said in breaking down what I saw at practice last Thursday took on a different life,” Zolak told his midday show co-host Marc Bertrand. “There was a certain genre of music being played at the time – rap music. And I blamed that for some of the preparation in between throws for him and I realize how that was taken as potentially being racially insensitive and I’m sorry for that and that comment should have never been said.”

Zolak noted he spoke directly to Newton about the rap music comment, in addition to his two on-air apologies.

“It’s hard to talk about cause that’s not the way we operate,” Zolak said of his offensive analysis. “It’s not the way I should have addressed it. You break down a performance, you can be critical of the performance. Just bringing in what I said and that type of music, I understand the way it was taken and I regret that comment.”

Watch above via NBC Sports Boston