ESPN apologizes for info on graphic about Tee Higgins’ mom

An ESPN executive apologized for information in a graphic about the mother of Bengals draft pick Tee Higgins.

ESPN caught a tremendous amount of heat for information in a graphic the mom of Clemon’s Tee Higgins was a drug addict Friday.

The network responded Sunday by apologizing in a statement to the Washington Post:

The Higgins graphic “should not have aired,” ESPN vice president of production Seth Markman said in an email to the paper. “It was a mistake and we apologize for it. We want our draft coverage to personalize players and, where appropriate, acknowledge the obstacles they’ve had to overcome on their journey to the NFL. This graphic lacked proper context.”

Higgins, meanwhile, addressed the graphic and discussion. The first pick of the second round by the Cincinnati Bengals tweeted:

“All I ever wanted to do was whatever I thought would make my mother most proud,” Higgins said in a video tweeted by the NFL.

“Back when I was younger, I was in and out of a house with my aunt, because my mom was addicted to drugs and she was in and out of prison,” he told reporters at the NFL Scouting combine in February. “I didn’t really grow up with her as much. Her boyfriend shot her twice . . . sorry it’s a hard story to tell . . . but her boyfriend shot her twice when I was in kindergarten. Just seeing her go through the struggles that she did, it was just something like no other. I don’t wish that on anybody. Now that she’s 12 years clean it’s unbelievable and all because of the man above. It’s something I hope no one goes through. Her story is why I’m here, she kept me playing football. I want to have her stress-free. I don’t want her to work anymore. I want her to live her best life.

“She’s had it worse than I have, so having a bad play, having a bad game, I think about it’s nothing compared to that. She’s at home, calling me every night, telling me make sure you pray, stay in the books so you can get these interviews down and may God be with you.”