Oregon State football player Rocco Carley cut from team over racist recording

An Oregon State football player was dismissed from the team over years-old offensive remarks without ever taking a snap.

Tight end Rocco Carley was dismissed after a recording surfaced of him using racist language to describe Black people, and making bigoted remarks about gays and Muslims, reported the Statesman Journal.

“I became aware of the comments made by Rocco Carley earlier this evening. I immediately shared the audio with (athletic director) Scott Barnes,” said Oregon State head football coach Jonathan Smith in a statement. “We both agreed this language and attitude is entirely unacceptable, regardless of circumstances or environment. I spoke with Rocco and dismissed him from the team. I will not tolerate racism or hate speech.”

Carley argued that the recording was made three years ago while fooling around with friends, and he apologized.

“To my family, my community, and everyone I have associated with, I am sorry,” Carley said in a statement. “This does not condone anything of what I have said, but I promise to you all that this video does not represent me. I was doing an accent of a Southern man and giving a very satire example of what we all thought would be funny. This in no way, shape or form makes what I said right.”

Carley did not play last year, his first with the team, because he sat out as a redshirt.