Former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton recently sat down with 2025 projected No. 1 overall pick Travis Hunter and discussed his experience when he went first overall in the 2011 Draft.
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Cam Newton hopped on Travis Hunters’ show and dropped a GEM about being the #1 pick 💎@TravisHunterJr @CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/oJPsXALOEx
— Overtime (@overtime) February 7, 2025
"You could potentially be the first pick, but, bro, you have no way of impacting the game the way a quarterback does," Newton said on the Travis Hunter show podcast. "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."
The 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year continued, "My issue is that, when I was the first pick, 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 serious to realize we was 2-14. There was a lot of 2-14 in the mentality of those guys."
In view of Newton's comments about his former teammates, 5x Pro Bowler Steve Smith Sr. spoke out, while responding to the viral clip on X.
"53 man locker room - 1 = 52 losers. Wow... breaking news to 89," Smith said, while adding an angry face emoji.
Smith, who is now an NFL analyst, later went on to say he was disappointed in how Newton has talked about the Panthers, a team in which they played together on for three seasons.
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 !!! ✌️— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) February 10, 2025
Then when Smith was confronted by someone online that mentioned he also has been critical of his former team in the past, the 3x All-Pro WR clarified why he took offense to Newton's comments.
"I've never backed down from my words," Smith said. "However calling the men in the locker room losers isn't slander it's disrespectful! I disliked a lot of things that happened w/ my time there. But calling men losers naw."
Cam Newton stops for a pregame chat with Steve Smith pic.twitter.com/z8Ja49GBEq
— Bill Voth (@BillVothNFL) September 12, 2019
Notably, Smith and Newton were a superstar QB/WR du0, as they connected on 216 completed passes for 3,313 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Smith has the most receiving yards in franchise history (12,197), while Newton is the Carolina Panthers' all-time leader in passing yards (29,725).
Related: Cam Newton Makes Things Awkward When Mentioning 'Fox Sports Lawsuit' On ESPN
