Thom Brennaman, the longtime announcer for the Cincinnati Reds, was taken off the air Wednesday night after he was caught on a hot mic uttering a homophobic slur earlier in the day during a doubleheader with the Kansas City Royals.
Brennaman, unaware that the telecast was back from commercial break, was caught saying “one of the ef ** capitals of the world” during the broadcast prior to the game. It was unclear what exactly he was referring to when he made it the comment.
BEFORE BUILDING, ‘FREE YOUR KELLY’ WILL BE DELLEN
Brennaman later issued an apology during the live broadcast of the doubleheader’s second match.
‘I made a remark earlier yesterday that I think I was out of the air that I am deeply ashamed. If I hurt anyone in it, I can not tell you how much I said from the bottom of my heart, I’m so, so sorry, “said Brennaman. I’m proud to think of myself as a man of faith … I do not know if I will wear this headset again. I do not know if it will be for the Reds. I do not know if it will be for my bosses at FOX. I apologize to the people who sign my salary for the Reds, for Fox Sports Ohio, and for the people I work with, and everyone I met here last night.
DESCRIPTIONS OF BASEBALL RIGHTS TO FERNANDO TATIS BACKLASH
Brennaman added: “I can not begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am. That is not who I am, it has never been. I would like to think that I may have people who can bake that. I am “Very, very sorry. And I beg your forgiveness.”
After his final words, Brennaman signed off and Jim Day resumed the live broadcast.
Major League Baseball was aware of the incident but had no immediate comment, according to the Associated Press. The Reds did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reds reliever Amir Garrett tweeted about Brennaman’s words shortly after the end of the second game: “To the LGBTQ community just know that I am with you, and whoever is against you is against me,” he wrote. “I’m sorry for what was said today.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE AT FOXNEWS.COM
Brennaman played national games for Major League Baseball on FOX from 1996 to 2014, and he also played play-by-play for the NFL on FOX. He’s been with Fox Sports for more than 25 years, and he’s currently in his 13th year doing TV and radio for the Reds. He recently returned to the Reds in 2019.
Brennaman’s father, Marty Brennaman, was a legendary Reds announcer from 1974 to 2019.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
