All eyes were on Cam Newton last Wednesday after a sexist comment during a press conference turned eyes and ears.

Jourdan Rodrigue, reporter for the Charlotte Observer, ran through routine questions with the quarterback when she was met with a comment belittling to female journalists everywhere, particularly those in the realm of sports coverage.

“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes like … it’s funny,” said Newton when Rodrigue inquired about Devin Funchess, wide receiver for the Panthers.

Although the comment was claimed to be “a compliment” by the quarterback in later interviews regarding the push back he received, the journalist he degraded had other feelings.

In a twitter post shortly after the remark, Rodrigue spoke up about the sexist remark by tweeting.

I don’t think it’s “funny” to be a female and talk about routes. I think it’s my job.

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) Oct. 4, 2017

Although the comment may have been in good humor, in retrospect to the struggles many female sports journalists face as they pursue their careers, such a remark wasn’t expected to be taken lightly.

One aspect of the double standards implicitly in place for women in sports reporting is the value placed in one’s physical appearance.

In an article for the Huffington Post, Erin Andrews, a sideline reporter for Fox NFL, speaks on the difference of comparison between the two sexes in the industry.

“They are wearing gorgeous suits, they have a hair and makeup team there powdering them. Troy Aikmen. Joe Buck. They work out all the time. They’re beautiful men wearing beautiful clothes, no one says anything about it.”

Aside from viewers and those in sports often placing beauty above brains, female sports reporters face a variety of issues to follow.

In an interview with Entity Magazine, NFL analyst Lesley Visser brought other issues to the surface when asked about what struggles she faces as a female reporter in the realm of sports.

When asked about how her gender has affected her career progress, she shared that for on-site coverage, “Some men were very difficult, not wanting any women around.”

Since the comment, Newton has been censured by the NFL (calling his comments “just plain wrong and disrespectful”), lost a sponsor (Dannon), and gained judgement from fans worldwide.

Dannon spoke out on the matter stating, “It’s simply not OK to belittle anyone based on gender, we have shared our concerns with [Newton] and will no longer work with him.”

An apology was released by Newton shortly after, letting fans know, “The fact that during this whole process I’ve already lost sponsors and countless fans, I realize the joke is on me and I’ve learned a valuable lesson from this.”

We may never know the true intentions behind his remark, but the apology is a great start toward addressing the comment, and just why, regardless, sexism shouldn’t be taken lightly.