Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan apologized for using a racial slur during a livestream video game event on Wednesday.
McMillan, who is of Native Hawaiian descent, was recorded yelling the N-word twice after making an interception while playing Madden 26 during Streamer Bowl VII, a charity esports tournament.
The rookie wideout took to social media Thursday to make his apology.
“Yesterday while on live stream, I used a term I should not have,” McMillan wrote on his Instagram story. “There’s no excuse for what I said — I sincerely apologize for speaking thoughtlessly and will do better.”
McMillan, who was selected with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 draft, is one of the top candidates for this season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award after putting up a rookie-leading 1,014 receiving yards — the most ever by a Panthers rookie — with seven touchdowns on 70 receptions in 17 games.
McMillan played a key offensive role on a Carolina team that claimed its first playoff berth since 2017 with a first-place finish in the NFC South.
The Panthers’ Super Bowl hopes were ultimately cut short, however, with a 34-31 loss to the Rams during the wild-card round on Jan. 10.
In his second season at the helm of Carolina, head coach Dave Canales led his team to an 8-9 record, a noticeable improvement over their 5-12 finish in 2024.
Following the devastating loss that was decided in the game’s final minutes, Canales told reporters that his players will surely feel the sting of a missed opportunity.
“There is such a mix of emotions right now in the locker room, from guys being proud of what we accomplished and where we got, to being sick about the opportunity that was right there in front of us,” Canales said.
“And that is going to sting.”
