USA TODAY Sports

Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue apologized Thursday for tweets with racist overtones from four-plus years ago. One of the four since-deleted tweets contained a racial slur.

"I apologize for the offensive tweets from my Twitter account 4/5 years ago," Rodrigue said in a Twitter statement. "There is no excuse for these tweets and the sentiment behind them. I am deeply sorry and apologize."

More:Dannon cuts ties with Panthers quarterback Cam Newton

More:Contrary to what Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton says, sexism isn't funny

Rodrigue, the Carolina Panthers beat writer for the newspaper, was thrust in the national spotlight Wednesday after quarterback Cam Newton laughed at her and said it was "funny to hear a female talk about routes." Rodrigue was supported and Newton was widely criticized for the sexist remark — by the Panthers, the NFL, and the media.

On Thursday, yogurt maker Dannon cut ties with Newton.

In a May 2013 tweet, Rodrigue said, "The earth moves at 450+ mph that's 10 times triller than NASCAR Dale Earnhart's a (expletive) (racial slur)."

In other tweets from August 2013, Rodrigue said she was enjoying racist jokes from her father as they drove through Navajo country.

Follow Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson