ESPN' Sage Steele questioned the race of Barack Obama and called vaccine mandates 'sick'

• ESPN's Sage Steele caused some controversy while on Jay Cutler's podcast.
• Steele questioned the race of Barack Obama and called vaccine mandates "sick."
• Steele is off the air this week after testing positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

ESPN's Sage Steele is off the air this week.

Steele recently tested positive for COVID-19, which was the "prevailing reason for her being temporarily taken off the air," according to Deadline.

In addition to being off the air due to COVID, ESPN also shared a statement on behalf of Steele on Tuesday, apologizing for the controversy caused by some of Steele's comments on a recent appearance on Jay Cutler's podcast, "Uncut with Jay Cutler."

Regarding the race of former President Barack Obama, Steele said she was "fascinated" that he identified as Black when filling out the census.

"If they make you choose a race, what are you gonna put? Well, both," Steele said. "Barack Obama chose Black, and he's biracial … congratulations to the President, that's his thing. I think that's fascinating considering his Black dad is nowhere to be found but his white mom and grandma raised him, but okay. You do you. I'm gonna do me."

Steele also spoke out against vaccine mandates, calling them "sick" and "scary," while acknowledging that she had complied with ESPN's vaccine mandate.

"I respect everyone's decision, I really do, but to mandate it is sick," Steele said. "And it's scary to me in many ways. But I have a job, a job that I love, and frankly, a job that I need, but again, I love it. I'm not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney, a global company."

Steele also criticized how some women working in sports dress, saying "when you dress like that, I'm not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what you're doing when you put that outfit on too."

You can listen to Steele's entire appearance on Cutler's podcast here.

On Tuesday, Steele offered a general apology for the controversy her comments created, but did not specify which comments, if any, she regretted.

"I know my recent comments created controversy for the company, and I apologize," the statement said. "We are in the midst of an extremely challenging time that impacts all of us, and it's more critical than ever that we communicate constructively and thoughtfully."