In the time since his NFL playing career came to an end, Cam Newton has been building his media presence, which he has since parlayed into a reoccurring role on ESPN’s First Take.
But this week, the 2015 NFL MVP has found himself the subject of backlash following a controversial interview with Dwight Howard’s ex-girlfriend.
Over the course of a nearly two-and-a-half-hour episode of Newton’s Funky Friday podcast, the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner interviewed Royce Reed about her relationship with Howard, who she shares a son with. The wide-ranging conversation covered topics including the former NBA star’s sexuality (a 15-minute section of the episode is labeled “Is Dwight Howard Gay?” on YouTube), as well as allegations of physical and emotional abuse. It’s worth noting that a man filed a civil lawsuit against Howard in Gwinnett County, Georgia, accusing the former NBA center of sexual assault and battery in 2023. The accuser dismissed his lawsuit with prejudice (meaning it can’t be refiled) last August.
As for the podcast episode with Newton, many Reed’s claims against Howard echo sentiments similar to what the former Basketball Wives star has expressed in recent social media posts and interviews. In her conversation with Newton, Reed says that she was previously “silenced” from speaking out on such matters as the result of a non-disclosure agreement, but is no longer restricted thanks to a subsequent agreement.
While many of the topics and accusations covered in the podcast episode are serious, the conversation bounces between sobering and salacious tones. In some segments, Reed details the abuse she claims to have suffered from Howard. In others, her and Newton seem to merely be mocking the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
In the days since the podcast episode first published, many have criticized Newton for the interview, including former NBA guard J.R. Smith, who briefly played with Howard during the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to the 2020 NBA championship. In a comment on Instagram, Smith referred to the interview as “hella corny,” adding, “bringing on a Black woman to kill a Black man is never cool.”
Newton replied: “Call it what you want. Respectfully… I don’t go back n forth in no comments… I ain’t hard to find sir…”
While many of the allegations made against Howard in the interview are serious, the presentation of the podcast leans heavily into the more salacious aspects of the conversation. That includes the titles of clips and segments, as well as the screen grabs used on the YouTube page, which are clearly intended to convey shocking revelations to potential viewers.
Ultimately, Newton has made it clear that he’ll be doing things his way in the media, so it’s not a surprise that he’d be willing to take part in controversial interviews like this one. Still, it’s somewhat jarring to see someone with such an increasing presence at ESPN publishing content that clearly wouldn’t be a fit for the Worldwide Leader.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.