NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon made a tearful public apology Friday, more than two years after punching a woman and breaking bones in her face.
Mixon was suspended for a year after his assault on Oklahoma student Amelia Molitor. He said at a news conference he wanted to apologize earlier, but his legal team advised him not to.
Mixon said it is never acceptable to hit a woman and if he were in the same situation again he would walk away. He said he was disappointed he let down his team and family, especially his mother.
"It really don't matter what she did that night, it's all on me. The reason why I'm in this position right now, and I take full responsibility on what happened that night. It's never okay to hit a woman. Never. And I will preach that to anybody; it's never okay, and hopefully people around the world learn from my mistake," Mixon said.
WARNING: The video below includes acts of graphic violence.
Mixon's legal advisers released video of the punch last week. Since then there has been a backlash against Mixon, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and the university. Stoops said Wednesday that if such an attack had happened today, Mixon would be off the team.
"Honestly, it haunted me. Still haunts me to this day. I dream about it. If I could...if I could go back, I'd do whatever I could to change the outcome of that situation. Definitely would've walked, ran away and went about the situation differently. I wouldn't have been in that situation, and now I wouldn't be in that situation," Mixon said.
Oklahoma plays Auburn in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.
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