Out-of-favor quarterback Cam Newton has committed to Shannon Sharpe after the Undisputed co-host called him ‘random’, as the 2015 NFL MVP looks to return to the league before the start of the 2023-24 season.
The 33-year-old responded to Sharpe’s criticism following the release of his highlights at Auburn’s Pro Day on Tuesday.
While speaking his mind on Newton’s attempted comeback, the three-time Super Bowl champ called the quarterback “one of them.” [sic] randoms’ and rather sure that his best playing days are probably over.
‘Point taken @ShannoneSharpe,’ Newton shared on Twitter, responding to footage of Sharpe on Fox Sports’ Undisputed highlighting how bad the quarterback will be in 2020 and 2021.
‘And I’m not denying some of the truth you brought to UNK!! #veryVALID.
Former NFL and Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton, plans to return to the NFL soon
The 33-year-old fired back at three-time Super Bowl champ Shannon Sharpe on Twitter
On Tuesday’s episode of ‘Undisputed’, Sharpe said Newton was ‘one of those randoms’
‘But if you give me a whole offseason to figure out what I should do with a STABLE FRANCHISE. I promise YOU, I will PROVE that I’m NO RANDOM sir!! – love.’
On Tuesday, it was reported that Newton threw 30 passes in front of a crowded pro day event in Auburn, possibly in front of NFL scouts as well. The three-time Pro Bowl nominee played just one year for the Tigers in 2010 but won the Heisman Trophy and a national title.
Also on Tuesday, Sharpe wasn’t shy about voicing his opinion about Newton, who turns 34 in May, and his chances of signing with another NFL team.
‘Cam, it’s 2023. You are one of them [sic] randoms,’ the 54-year-old said, telling his cohost, Skip Bayless: ‘I hate to break it to him, Skip.’
Afterward, the legendary Denver Broncos tight end pointed to the majority of Newton’s career accomplishments, adding that the quarterback ‘based everything on who he was.’
“The last time Cam Newton won a game was 2020,” Sharpe said. ‘The last time he passed for 3000 yards in a season was 2018. The last time he started every game in a season was 2017. The last time he started a playoff game was 2017. The last time he did the Pro Bowl is 2015.’
Newton last played in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. He was a last-second fill-in for starter Sam Darnold, who went on injured reserve midway through the season.
Newton struggled in his second stint at North Carolina, where he first rose to prominence in 2011 after being drafted as the team’s first overall pick that year. In eight appearances, he passed for 684 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while rushing for 230 yards and five scores.
On Tuesday, Newton appeared at Auburn, where he won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in 2010. The quarterback threw 30 complete passes in front of NFL scouts
Newton last played for the Carolina Panthers in the 2021 season but struggled mightily
Before rejoining the Panthers, Newton was a free agent for two months after being released by the New England Patriots. In Foxborough, he went 7-8 as a starter under Bill Belichick in the 2020 season.
However, Newton’s dream return to the NFL may not be over yet.
The Baltimore Ravens, as well as five other teams, are believed to be scouting the veteran, according to CBS Sports.
It remains to be seen if their interests will actually lead to an offer, but the Ravens are in a bit of a quarterback pickle after placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on their starter Lamar Jackson before the NFL deadline earlier in this month.
According to The New York Post, Newton claimed that no current NFL QB (32 of them in total) is currently ‘better than me.’
The 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player was invited to throw at Auburn by his younger brother, Caylin — a former quarterback at Howard who finished his college career as a wide receiver at Auburn and William & Mary.
‘This is how he shows me love,’ Caylin Newton said of her older sister. ‘He owes nothing to anyone. He’s had an amazing journey, an amazing NFL career. He has nothing to prove to anybody… He came to show his ability, show he still has it.
‘I think, for him, it was a selfless act. But it is also to show and prove to everyone that he is not sitting. He still got it. Any organization looking to land a winning quarterback, his number is still open and available.’
Six teams, including the Baltimore Ravens, are believed to be interested in trying out Newton
Newton also played briefly for the New England Patriots in the 2020 season but went 7-8
Cam Newton declined to speak to reporters in Auburn on Tuesday. During the workout, Newton threw more than 30 passes to several NFL prospects from Auburn, including wide receiver Shedrick Jackson.
‘That was fun,’ said Jackson. That’s probably my favorite part, just learning his language, seeing his rhythm. He has a good touch on the ball. … I think he still got it.’
Last offseason, in May, Newton said several teams contacted him about a potential return to the league, but he was waiting for the right opportunity.
‘I am waiting for the best fit because it refers to winning a championship and getting a fair chance to play,’ he said.
The one team where he will always be welcome is the Panthers. Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer said in March that Newton could return to where he spent the first nine years of his NFL career.
It remains to be seen if that will happen again this year.
