Getty Cam Newton looks on.
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am Newton remains without an NFL contract through the first wave of free agency, but that doesn’t mean that the former New England Patriots quarterback isn’t finding ways to make headlines.
Appearing on the April 10 episode of Barstool’s “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, Newton made some comments about women — including those who “can’t cook” and who “don’t know when to be quiet” — that are receiving heavy public backlash.
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Newton’s response can be seen in the video below but as a warning, there is some NSFW language used.
NFL quarterback Cam Newton complained about women who “can’t cook” and “don’t know when to be quiet.”
“Now a women for me is, handling your own but knowing how to cater to a man’s needs.” t.co/Dzw3QMtpwI
“I had a perfect, perfect example of what a man was in my life by my father. My parents have been together for 36, 37 years now and it’s a beautiful thing. I grew up in a three-parent household (with) my mom, my father and my grandmother, and I knew what a woman was. Not a bad b****. A woman.”
Continuing on, the former NFL MVP described his perspective on the definition of a woman.
“Now, a woman for me is handling your own but knowing how to cater to a man’s needs. And I think a lot of times when you get that aesthetic of ‘I’m a boss b****, I’m a this, I’m a that.’ No baby, like, but you can’t cook. You don’t know when to be quiet. You don’t know how to allow a man to lead.”
The full 83-minute episode can be viewed here in its entirety.
Newton Taking Heat on Social Media
In the 24 hours following their delivery, Newton’s comments have drawn some strong reactions from onlookers, particularly in NFL media.
“It’s particularly unfortunate that Cam Newton feels this way considering many of the people in the media and in sports who’ve publicly spoken about the bias he’s dealt with throughout his career are women who refuse to be quiet,” wrote FS1’s Tayna Ray Fox.
“Ooops… then again, not for Cam. True colors always reveal themselves, time and again. I prefer to keep negativity off my feed, but this is DISGUSTING. No need “to be quiet” here…” wrote NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales.
“This ain’t it Cam. Not. At. All.” echoed NFL Media colleague Steve Wyche.
A Trend for Newton
This isn’t the first time that Newton, 32, has been in hot water due to comments he has made toward women.
When Newton was with the Carolina Panthers in 2017, he belittled then-Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue, who now cover the Los Angeles Rams for The Athletic.
Rodrigue asked Newton about a player “embracing the physicality of routes,” which caused Newton to laugh and respond, “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes like, it’s funny.”
According to a Charlotte Observer report, Rodrigue asked Newton afterward whether he thought a woman couldn’t understand receiver routes.
“Newton said she wasn’t really seeing specific routes when watching the game, she was just seeing if somebody was open,” the Observer reported. “She argued that he didn’t know what she saw nor how hard she had studied football, and that maybe the two of them needed to have a deeper conversation.
“Newton said that maybe he should have said it was funny to hear ‘reporters’ talk about routes and that, if she actually did know about them, then she knew more than most reporters,” according to the Observer. “Then he gestured toward the locker room, still filled with her colleagues.”
Rodrigue also released a statement after the incident.
“This afternoon, I did my job as an NFL beat writer and asked Cam Newton a question about one of his receivers. I was dismayed by his response, which not only belittled me but countless other women before me and beside me who work in similar jobs,” Rodrigue said. “I sought Mr. Newton out as he left the locker room a few minutes later. He did not apologize for his comments.”
In another statement, the NFL said “the comments are just plain wrong and disrespectful to the exceptional female reporters and all journalists. They do not reflect the thinking of the league.”
A Sad End to Newton’s Playing Career?
Ever since making it to the Super Bowl with the Panthers in 2015, when he was also named league MVP, things have begun to slide downhill for the dual-threat QB.
In 15 starts with the Patriots in 2020, Newton threw for 2,657 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his only season in New England. He also ran for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns with the Patriots finishing the season with a 7-9 record, the first season they were under .500 since 2000.
After being released by the Patriots on August 31, 2021 in favor of then-rookie Mac Jones, Newton has been viewed around the NFL “as a player in decline” with “almost no hope to start anywhere,” according to Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed.
The 12th-year NFL quarterback is currently an unrestricted free agent after appearing in eight games for the Panthers in 2021.