Ex-NHL star Jeremy Roenick won’t return to NBC Sports after suspension for inappropriate comments
Jeremy Roenick will not be returning to NBC Sports after the former NHL player-turned-hockey commentator was suspended for making sexually suggestive remarks about his coworkers.
Roenick, who played 20 NHL seasons before joining NBC Sports as an analyst in 2010, will not return to the air, a spokesperson confirmed to The Hill.
Roenick, 50, said in a Twitter video that he was “very disappointed and angry” about the news.
“Though disappointed, I’m also grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to share my love, my passion and my knowledge of the game with millions of people, millions of fans. And even though I’m leaving NBC, I will not be gone for long. I’ll be back better and more motivated to bring you the best entertainment and the best that I have for the game of hockey.”
What a Joke!! pic.twitter.com/Evis1XR2cD
— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) February 12, 2020
He was suspended indefinitely without pay in late December after he made questionable comments about fellow broadcasters Kathryn Tappen, Patrick Sharp and Anson Carter during an appearance on the Barstool Sports “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast.
Roenick was discussing his recent vacation to Portugal with his wife and Tappen, repeatedly discussing Tappen’s appearance and how she looked in her bikini.
He proceeded to claim that he suggested to another vacationgoer that he was having a threesome with his wife and Tappen, saying, “I play it off like we’re going to bed together every night, the three of us. If it really came to fruition, that would really be good, but it’s never going to happen.”
He later called Sharp “so beautiful” and said, “I’d have to think about it if he asked me … I wouldn’t say no right away.”
He also lobbed an insult at Carter’s appearance.
“It’s good to have a beautiful face that talks well, that knows the game because it’s totally the opposite when me and Anson get on there,” Roenick said on the podcast.
Roenick apologized for his remarks in a social media video last month, saying he had called his coworkers who were “loving and gracious” to accept his apology.
“I’ve always tried to act professional, I’ve always tried to entertain, and this time I went too far, and I will make sure, in the future, that I’m mindful of people’s feelings, the sensitivities of my coworkers and of all you, my loving fans,” Roenick said at the time.
— Jeremy Roenick (@Jeremy_Roenick) January 11, 2020
A day after Roenick’s suspension was announced, Tappen said in a statement, “While Jeremy and I continue to be good friends, what he said was unacceptable, especially among workplace colleagues. I do not condone his comments.”
Roenick, a nine-time All-Star, previously played for the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Flyers, Sharks and Kings before retiring in 2009, transitioning into a role at NBC Sports the following year.
Updated at 12:29 p.m.
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