AP

On Wednesday night, 49ers running back Anthony Dixon thought it would be funny to insult this week’s opponents by calling them the “She-Hawks” instead of the Seahawks on Twitter. On Thursday morning, Dixon apparently saw the error of his ways.

Although Dixon hasn’t said anything more about the subject, he has deleted his tweet. That was the right move, and it would be nice of Dixon to follow up with an apology.

Here’s a message to all the men and boys out there who think a good way to insult other men and boys is to call them women or girls: Stop. It’s stupid, and it’s offensive.

Comments like Dixon’s are particularly hurtful for females who do play football. The National Federation of State High School Associations says that in a typical season, more than 1,000 girls play high school football across the country. Those girls deserve credit for taking part in a sport that has been traditionally reserved for boys. Seeing a professional football player insult his opponents by calling them “she” is unfair to those girls, and it sets a bad example to their male teammates and opponents.

Dixon’s tweet was wrong. Insults based on gender have no place in the NFL, or anywhere else.