Broadcaster apologizes for contrasting football player’s transfer to stay in foster care
KWTX-TV had a story on its website Friday trumpeting morning anchor Pete Sousa’s deal with ESPN that will have him calling football and basketball games.
A day later, Sousa went viral for the wrong reasons.
While calling Kentucky’s 28-17 win over Eastern Kentucky, Sousa praised the play of Wildcats running back Ray Davis. For some reason, Sousa mentioned Davis’ time in foster care and contrasted it to being in the transfer portal.
“There is Ray Davis. ... He’s the guy, transferring over from Vanderbilt, nine months ago when he jumped in the portal, everybody wanted him. Eleven years ago as a foster kid, really nobody wanted him,” Sousa said. “And now here he is, found some love, found football. And he has had an amazing journey.”
Sousa was roundly criticized on social media for the cringy foster care comment.
On Sunday, Sousa apologized for what he said and added that he had tried to help kids in foster care while at KWTX in Waco, Texas.
“It was my intention to shine a light on Ray’s story and to be an advocate for adopting foster kids,” Sousa wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“At the end of it all, I have to look at the moment and admit I missed the mark. I could’ve told that story without that line and for that I’m disappointed in myself and I apologize.
“It’s worth noting that for years now I’ve used whatever platform I have to help get foster children adopted.
“With the assistance of the news station I work for (KWTX) and CPS, we’ve featured dozens of stories on children looking for families on a segment we started in 2017. Many of them eventually finding homes. It’s a passion of mine.”
