Xavier Legette (Photo via X)
ESPN reporter David Newton is under fire after making an insensitive reference to Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette’s father.

Legette and the Panthers will be playing the Dallas Cowboys, the WR’s dad’s favorite team, this Sunday. Sadly, he won’t be around to see his son line up against the NFC East side, as he passed away in 2019.

The player also lost his mother four years prior.

Still, Newton jokingly suggested the player’s father would rein in his support for America’s Team come Sunday.

“For sure, he ain’t a Cowboys fan,” Legette replied. “No more.”

The second-year wideout was unable to hide his sadness as he let out a deep breath.

Check it out in the video below:

Xavier Legette Question The Latest One From David Newton To Leave Fans Upset

Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images)
Fans are urging ESPN to drop Newton, with some of them suggesting that such a question should have been expected based on his history.

“It was David Newton from ESPN. And this isn’t the first time (nor will it be the last) he makes an idiotic comment like this,” one wrote.

“That reporter should be fired,” a second declared.

“Bro!!! @espn Get David F**kin Newton off of my team’s beat. He is Trash. He’s never been liked by any staff or players, mostly cause of dumb shit like this. WTF?!?” another comment read.

It’s not like he was unaware, either. Last July, the journo wrote a piece titled “Passion for horses inspires Panthers rookie Xavier Legette” for The Worldwide Leader in Sports, in which he highlighted the tragic circumstances regarding the WR’s parents.

Legette went viral for his heavy country accent after the NFL Draft last year, and apparently sounds just like his father, Anthony, something Newton was sure to note in the piece.

“Neal said Legette sounds just like his dad, Anthony, who died of a heart attack in March of 2019, four years after the receiver’s mom, Anita, passed after a long battle with cancer,” he wrote.

Certainly not a good look. But, at least Legette was cool about it.