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Here’s a guy that’s in hot water over his controversial comments.
Cris Collinsworth is facing backlash for saying he was “blown away” by some women’s knowledge of football during Wednesday afternoon’s broadcast of the Steelers-Ravens game, which aired on NBC.
“Everybody’s a fan, in particular the ladies that I met,” he said during the second quarter. “They had really specific questions about the game and I’m like, ‘Wow.’
“You’re just blown away about how strong the fans are here in this town.”
The 61-year-old sportscaster, who was in the booth as NBC’s color commentator alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico, was forced to make a quick mea culpa after the comments struck some on social media as sexist and patronizing.
“Today on our broadcast I made reference to a couple of women that I met in Pittsburgh who so impressed me with their football knowledge that I wanted to tell their story on the air,” Collinsworth wrote on Twitter after the game. “I know the way I phrased it insulted many. I’m so sorry.
“What I intended as a compliment to the fans of Pittsburgh, became an insult. I’m sick about insulting any fan, but especially female fans and journalists. I know first hand how much harder they have to work than any of us in this industry. I was wrong and I deeply apologize.”
NBC employs a number of respected on-air female reporters including Andrea Kremer and Michele Tafoya.
This is the second time this season Collinsworth has come under fire for questionable comments made from the booth. In October, the polarizing figure seemed annoyed and joked with fellow broadcaster Al Michaels about being forced to wear a mask on set, per an ordinance by Santa Clara county in California, during NBC’s broadcast of the Eagles-49ers game.
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