NORMAN, Okla. — Newly minted Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray is apologizing for anti-gay tweets posted to his Twitter account several years ago, when he was 14 and 15.

The Oklahoma quarterback tweeted: "I apologize for the tweets that have come to light tonight from when I was 14 and 15. I used a poor choice of word that doesn't reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group."

The tweets have since been deleted from the account of Murray, 21, who won college football's most prestigious individual award Saturday night over Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins.

Murray, a junior from the Dallas suburbs, has signed a $4.66 million contract with the Oakland Athletics after he was selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft in June and this season may be his last in college football.

The controversy solicited comments from social media users, some who defended Murray and others who thanked him for apologizing.

No need for an apology. 14-15 year old guys say and do stuff that is mind boggling in reflection. I know I sure did. It’s part of growing up. Congrats on the Heisman! — Dave Cokin (@davecokin) December 10, 2018

you were A CHILD. the media is despicable and I am sorry you have to deal with their witch hunt. If we all had to issue apologies for shit we said at 14, I think the planet would implode — Adrianne Curry-Rhode 🤘AdrianneCurry.com (@AdrianneCurry) December 9, 2018

Fans everywhere support you. We celebrate the amazing athlete you became and the man you are today. May God bless your many tomorrows with wisdom, strength, peace, and joy. — Jessie Jane Duff (@JessieJaneDuff) December 10, 2018

Past social media comments have come to haunt other high-profile people and celebrities in recent days.

Comedian Kevin Hart pulled out as host of the next Academy Awards after he came under fire last week for old homophobic tweets and jokes that were resurfaced on social media.

In a video on Instagram, Hart didn't apologize but said he had changed his views.

"Guys, I'm almost 40 years old. If you don't believe that people change, grow, evolve as people get older, I don't know what to tell you," Hart, 39, said in the video. "If you want to hold people in a position where they always have to justify or explain their past, than do you. I'm the wrong guy."