NFL teams
David Newton, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Panthers' Cam Newton apologizes

NFL, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton apologized following Sunday's 24-7 victory over Detroit for referring to Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh as "Donkey Kong Suh" earlier in the week.

Newton said there was nothing racial about it as many made it out to be in messages to him.

"If anything I was trying to say it as a compliment of him wrecking havoc," said Newton, who was sacked five times but none by Suh. "Me going forward, I should have called him 'Wreck-it Ralph.' It was just out of respect for him. It won't happen again. Poor judgment of words."

The controversy began during a Wednesday press conference in which Newton answered six of 26 questions with the same response that involved his reference to Suh.

"My main focus right now is focusing on the Detroit Lions," he said every time he didn't want to address the topic of the question. "I think I've got my hands full trying to find ways to stay protected from Donkey Kong Suh and my fellow Auburn teammate Nick Fairely."

Newton said he meant it as a joke, and attributed it to him playing a lot of video games.

"And it's sad that in this day and age we're still bringing up racism," he added. "That was not my initial reason. ... So when I got a lot of text messages of ... why was you saying that, racist slur, this and that, that was not meant to be anything derogatory towards Ndamukong or the way I respect him as a person."

Suh didn't comment on Newton's "Donkey Kong Suh" reference following the game.

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