Cam Newton quickly turned himself into a major voice in NFL media since playing his last snaps in 2021.
But while the 4th and 1 host and First Take contributor was a legend on the field for the Carolina Panthers, his efforts to reengage with the franchise since leaving apparently have not gone smoothly.
After seeing the Panthers bring Steve Smith Sr., Luke Keuchly and Thomas Davis with them to Germany for an NFL Europe game in Week 10, Newton aired out his grievances with the organization and his icy relationship with management.
According to Newton, he pitched them on a partnership for his interview show “Funky Friday” on 4th and 1 last year. Newton wanted to celebrate the 2015 Super Bowl team and “pass the torch” to No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young.
“I said, ‘Yo, I’m really taking this media s**t serious, why don’t we give a live audience the experience, let’s do a Funky Friday for the masses?'” Newton explained. “I was like, yo, this could be the perfect way to pass the torch to Bryce Young. We can do a two-for-one. I can talk to Luke Keuchly unfiltered, Ic an talk to Thomas Davis, I can talk to Greg Olsen, unfiltered in a way in front of an audience, we could just share stories. Not anybody other than us almost having bro talk in front of the audience. I think the fans would like that.”
Around that same time, Newton said he hosted a 7-on-7 flag football tournament in Charlotte. While in town, the Heisman and MVP winner took his 8-year-old son to visit the team facility.
Walking around, Newton saw virtually no reference to his time in Carolina. When he asked why, the team claimed it simply didn’t know if he was actually retired yet.
Newton last played in 2021 — for the Panthers.
He was shocked to see what felt like an erasure for the team he had brought great success to.
“Me and that franchise, it’s simple. It takes two to tango,” Newton said. “For too long, it’s been a bulls**** a** excuse like, we don’t know if Cam’s retired or not.”
Newton maintains that he has “no quarrels” with the new team owner, David Tepper, who bought the Panthers in 2018. Newton played for the team under Tepper in 2021.
The Panthers great has been a vocal supporter of Young’s, and the 7-on-7 event shows he maintains a presence in the community. Beyond the symbolism of not being on the walls at the team facility, Newton resents that he is not even in communication with the organization anymore.
“When I see certain things happen like this, me being in control of the ‘narrative,’ it’s like, bro, I ain’t hard to find,” he said. “I ain’t even know certain opportunities even existed. And when I don’t show up, it’s because I didn’t know. So, did it hurt my feelings? Yeah, it did, as a man.”
Given the legendary moments Newton was in Carolina for and his candid comments about his career there, hopefully, the two sides can repair their relationship. Though Newton isn’t afraid to speak his mind, he’s not some huge negative presence.
Panthers fans deserve a relationship with Newton if they want it.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.