ESPN Announcer Taken Off Air for "Gay" Comment

ESPN college football announcer Brian Kinchen has been taken off the air for using the word "gay" as derogatory term in Saturday's telecast of the Northern Illinois-Iowa game.

During the game Saturday, Kinchen was explaining the need for receivers to make catches with their hands because they are "tender" and can "caress" the ball. He then paused and said, "that's kind of gay, but hey ..."

Kinchen's future as a commentator with ESPNU, the cable network's college football channel, is still under review, Krulewitz said.

Kinchen, a former tight end who played in the NFL from 1988-00, apologized for his remarks.

"They were completely inappropriate and not at all a reflection of who I am or the way I perform my work," Kinchen said in a statement issued by ESPN. "I have learned from my mistake and look forward to continuing my broadcasting career."