clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis issued another apology

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis issued another apology on Tuesday for using an offensive word during Monday Night's Bengals Line.

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis issued another statement on Tuesday, apologizing for his comments on Monday, through the team.

"I’m aware that my comment on local radio last night was offensive to people of short stature and to their families and friends. It was thoughtless on my part to use the word I did, and not excusable, and I greatly regret it. I since have read about this issue on the Little People of America website. I understand it better, and as I have apologized to Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns community, I offer the same to all others who I offended, and I pledge that I will learn from this. I hope that my mistake and the resultant publicity may serve at least to help others not make similar insensitive comments in the future."

Lewis used the word "midget" to describe quarterback Johnny Manziel during Bengals Line on 700 WLW. The Little People of America view the term as offensive (h/t Pro Football Talk):

"While we understand that no group can dictate what words are spoken or images are projected, we hope to continue to raise awareness around the dwarfism community and use of the word ‘midget’ – a word that many people of short stature consider a slur and a word closely associated with the public objectification of people of short stature," Little People of America says.