Cris Collinsworth apologizes for insulting women fans during Steelers-Ravens game: 'I was wrong'
Cris Collinsworth has apologized after making statements about women NFL fans during Wednesday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, as many felt that his comments were condescending and sexist.
"Everybody's a fan. In particular, the ladies that I met," Collinsworth said during the game. "They have really specific questions about the game, and I'm like, 'Wow.' You're just blown away by how strong the fans are here in this town."
It's the sort of statement most women sports fans are unfortunately probably all too familiar with hearing, as men often express think they are being complimentary when they express their surprise that a woman is capable of following and enjoying sports as they are. To Collinsworth's credit, he was quick to acknowledge his mistake and expressed his remorse for insulting anyone with his statement.
"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 posted on Twitter. "I know the way I phrased it insulted many. I'm so sorry."
Collinsworth said he "intended [his comments] as a compliment" but realized that he missed the mark. He also went out of his way to apologize to women working in sports media, as he knows comments like this make it even harder for them to be taken seriously in an industry that has historically been a major boys club.
"I'm sick about insulting any fan, but especially female fans and journalists." Collinsworth added, "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."
Too often, public apologies ring entirely disingenuous, so it is refreshing to see Collinsworth actually take ownership of his mistake and the way it may have affected others. Hopefully, he learns from his mishap and avoids making generalized statements in the future.
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