Kyler Murray apologises for ‘queer’ tweets after winning Heisman Trophy
Kyler Murray apologised just hours after lifting the Heisman Trophy (Mike Stobe/Getty)
American football star Kyler Murray has apologised for tweets using the word “queer” just hours after he won the Heisman Trophy, which is given to the most impressive college player.
The 21-year-old University of Oklahoma quarterback wrote on Twitter, saying: “I apologise for the tweets that have come to light tonight from when I was 14 and 15.
“I used a poor choice of word that doesn’t reflect who I am or what I believe”
— Kyler Murray
“I used a poor choice of word that doesn’t reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group.”
Most of the tweets have been deleted from the college star’s account, according to Deadline.
One which remains reads: “I guess ‘YOLO’ is a trending topic at Marcus… #queers.”
Kyler Murray is the latest star to have old anti-gay tweets resurface
The footballer, who is also a promising baseball player and was drafted ninth overall this year by the Oakland Athletics, has become the latest in a long line of celebrities to be faced with offensive historical posts they made on social media.
Kyler Murray apologised on Twitter for the historical posts (TheKylerMurray/twitter)
Last week, Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting the Oscars and apologised for a series of homophobic tweets he wrote between 2009 and 2012.
After it emerged that Hart had called gay people “fags” and mocked lesbians in the posts, the 39-year-old comedian apologised and withdrew, saying he didn’t want to be a “distraction” from the awards event in February.
Other top sports figures like Murray have also been guilty of posting anti-LGBT messages online, such as American football coach Kyle Cox, who warned students not to “let a tweet ruin your chance” and was then suspended for his anti-gay and racist tweets.
The Texas Wesleyan University coach posted that he was “going to lose it” over a book about a gay duck, and also quoted someone describing going to Chick-fil-A “to show our disdain for the gays.”
“That doesn’t reflect on who I am as a person today. That’s just what it is”
— Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader
In August, Major League Baseball pitcher Michael Kopech admitted that he had deleted tweets calling people “gay,” “n****” and “a Mexican rapist version of Super Mario.”
The Chicago White Sox player, who was 16 and 17 when he wrote the posts, said he was “trying to be looked at as a role model, and the last thing I want to do is have some kid look at what I’m saying and take it the wrong way.”
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Josh Hader also apologised earlier this year when it emerged during the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game that he had sent anti-gay messages including one which said: “I hate gay people.”
The 24-year-old athlete, who also repeatedly used the N-word in his posts, said: “I was 17 years old, and as a child I was immature, and obviously I said some things that were inexcusable.
“That doesn’t reflect on who I am as a person today. That’s just what it is,” said Hader.
Later that same month, Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb and Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner apologised for a slew of tweets which targeted gay and black people with slurs including “fag” and “faggot.”
Musicians Stormzy and Doja Cat have also apologised after their past anti-gay tweets were unearthed, as well as famous YouTuber Zoe Sugg, who is also known as Zoella.
