Cam Newton doubles down on Panthers jabs: ‘It was a losers’ mentality’

Cam Newton doubles down on Panthers jabs: ‘It was a losers’ mentality’

Cam Newton isn’t backing down from his comments during Super Bowl week, when he called his old Carolina Panthers teammates “losers” before he got to the team in 2011 and was called out by one of those former teammates, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr.

On his own podcast “4th and 1 with Cam Newton’’ on Thursday, the former quarterback said “I’m not specifically talking about those guys. I’m talking about the culture that was there prior to me coming into the locker room — and it was a losers’ mentality.”

Newton’s original comments came on another podcast with former Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, in which Newton said, “I went into a locker room of losers. Just honest. Guys didn’t know how to win. Guys didn’t know how to prepare. They didn’t take themselves [seriously] to realize we [were] 2-14. There was a lot of ‘2-14’ in the mentality of those guys.”

Cam Newton on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center on Feb. 7, 2025.
Cam Newton on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center on Feb. 7, 2025. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Smith took exception on X, formerly known as Twitter, responding: “53 man locker room — 1 = 52 losers. Wow… breaking news to 89,” along with an angry-face emoji.

He also later added that same day, “I’ve watched & listened from a far as U @CameronNewton talk about @Panthers! None of us are perfect. Yes We were 2-14 before you blessed us w ur presence. The way you have talked about @panthers lately I’m very disappointed. I wish u nothing but the very best. I’m done!!!”

Newton’s first comments about Smith’s reaction came on Thursday. 

“When did we become so sensitive?” Newton said. “When did we become so sensitive to really speaking what the reality is? A locker room full of losers? Aggressive, but it’s true.”

Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, left, and Cam Newton, right, share a laugh during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Charlotte, N.C.
Carolina Panthers’ Steve Smith, left, and Cam Newton, right, share a laugh during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013, in Charlotte, N.C. AP

He noted he believed it took time after he got to Carolina for the mentality to change before the Panthers went 15-1 and got to the Super Bowl in 2015.

“Is it me saying that, ‘Oh when I came, I made everything [better]?’ No,” Newton said. “I never said that. What I said was, ‘If you’re getting drafted No. 1 [overall], you’re going to a bad football team. That’s facts. And that’s the point that I was trying to tell Travis Hunter. You see what I’m saying? For me, everybody is so taken aback, like, ‘Oh, Cam said this.’ Bro, it’s the truth. It’s the truth.”

Related Posts

Patrick Mahomes issues blunt verdict on Shedeur Sanders’ humiliating NFL Draft slide

Patrick Mahomes issues blunt verdict on Shedeur Sanders’ humiliating NFL Draft slide

Patrick Mahomes weighed in – albeit briefly – on fellow quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ shocking slide in the NFL Draft.  Sanders, who had once been pegged as a…

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft nightmare continues as humiliated QB plummets out of third round in worst slide in history… despite Trump’s demand

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft nightmare continues as humiliated QB plummets out of third round in worst slide in history… despite Trump’s demand

After going to bed on Thursday night having not been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is still waiting for…

NFL draft live tracker 2025: Full third-round pick analysis, trade rumors, news

NFL draft live tracker 2025: Full third-round pick analysis, trade rumors, news

The second day of the 2025 NFL Draft is here. Some major storylines in the first round were Shedeur Sanders not being selected and the Giants trading…

Devastated Shedeur Sanders breaks silence on historic NFL Draft mortification after outrageous slide

Devastated Shedeur Sanders breaks silence on historic NFL Draft mortification after outrageous slide

On a night he may have wanted to forget more than most, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders broke his silence on his monumental NFL Draft slide. Sanders, who…

Will Levis’s ex-girlfriend Gia Duddy shares key thing NFL Draft WAGs must avoid two years on from her viral fame 

Will Levis’s ex-girlfriend Gia Duddy shares key thing NFL Draft WAGs must avoid two years on from her viral fame 

Influencer Gia Duddy rocketed to fame two years ago when cameras caught her sat alongside former boyfriend Will Levis during his NFL Draft nightmare.  Duddy went viral…

Eddie Mcguire’s son has a CHEEKY message for his Ohio State teammates ahead of meeting with POTUS Trump

Eddie Mcguire’s son has a CHEEKY message for his Ohio State teammates ahead of meeting with POTUS Trump

Joe McGuire couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at his Ohio State teammates ahead of meeting US President Donald Trump. ‘It was a tremendous honour, most of…