McMillan apologizes for racial slur at esports event

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who is up for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award at NFL Honors, apologized for using a racial slur during a live-stream video game event on Wednesday.

McMillan shouted the words «n—a, n—a, pick» after making an interception during Streamer Bowl VII, a charity esports tournament.

«Yesterday, while on live stream, I used a term I should not have,» McMillan said in a statement posted to his Instagram story Thursday. «There’s no excuse for what I said — I sincerely apologize for speaking thoughtlessly and will do better.»

A team spokesperson pointed to McMillan’s apology when asked for comment.

McMillan, the eighth pick of the 2025 draft, had 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns this past season. He led all NFL rookies in receiving yards and set a new Carolina rookie record in that category.