Cam Newton’s Comments Have Fellow Panthers Legend Fuming

Cam Newton is one of the biggest stars in the history of the Carolina Panthers. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton became a three-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro and an MVP while leading the Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2015.

But while Newton is one of the most popular players in franchise history, he’s also become one of the most polarizing as he’s dove into podcasting during his playing career. 

The 35-year-old’s latest controversy came during an appearance on “The Travis Hunter Show” where he gave his honest answer about being a No. 1 overall pick. While his comments were meant to mentor the Colorado star and top prospect in this year’s draft, it also drew the ire of one of his former teammates.

Steve Smith Sr. Posts Furious Response to Cam Newton’s “Loser” Comments

The comments began when Hunter asked Newton what it was like coming to Carolina as the No. 1 overall pick in 2011.

“You’re the top pick because that was the worst team in the NFL the year before,” Newton said. “For me, I wanted to be the No. 1 pick. You could potentially be the first pick, but bro, you have no way of impacting the game the way a quarterback does. You can lock down the No. 1 receiver. You can make impact plays on offense all you want but it’s still not like a quarterback.”

Newton’s comments make sense in a quarterback-driven league but took a turn when he declared the Panthers’ locker room as “full of losers.”

“My issue was when I was the first pick, I went into a locker room full of losers,” Newton said. “Guys didn’t know how to win, guys didn’t know how to prepare. It was a culture shock for me. The games don’t mean a lot to a lot of people in the league like you would expect. It’s just money. Not everybody has the ability to be impact players. They’re just players.”

To Newton’s credit, the Panthers finished 2-14 in 2010 to earn the No. 1 overall pick and he had just won the national championship and the Heisman Trophy at Auburn. But the Panthers were also two years removed from a 12-4 season that featured a Hall of Fame finalist in Luke Keuchly, an All-Pro linebacker in Thomas Davis and Pro Bowl players including tight end Greg Olsen, and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

While that group went on to finish 7-9 in Newton’s first season, they improved to 12-4 in 2013 and was the nucleus of a 15-1 team that lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

This wasn’t lost on another former teammate in Steve Smith Sr., who was also on that 2011 team when Newton arrived in Carolina. While he only played two seasons with Newton, he played 13 of his 16-year career with the Panthers and defended the organization and his teammates in a pair of posts on X.

"53 man lockeroom - 1 = 52 losers. Wow…breaking news to 89!” Smith posted with a cursing emoji. “...I’ve watched & listened from a far as Utalk about @Panthers! None of us are perfect. Yes We were 2-14 before you blessed us w your presence. The way you have talked about @panthers lately, I’m very disappointed. I wish u nothing but the best. I’m done!!!”

Smith wasn’t part of the Panthers’ Super Bowl team as he signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2014, but he played three seasons with Newton including his final Pro Bowl campaign in 2011. Another finalist for the Hall of Fame, he was among a group that gave Newton plenty of help to transform Carolina into a Super Bowl contender. But the former quarterback may also be stung by his omission from the Panthers’ game in Germany last November where several of his former teammates were honored before a matchup with the New York Giants.

It’s the latest example of a strained relationship between the Panthers and one of their greatest players.

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