Cam Newton reacted to ESPN’s decision to fire him in the latest episode of his podcast.
On his “4th and 1” podcast, Newton admitted he was disappointed to be laid off, but raved about the talent at ESPN, and said he deeply appreciated his time there. He added that he viewed it like an “internship” that taught him a lot about content and journalism.
“It was an internship, almost,” Newton said. “The production values, they’re the leading sports source for a reason. They have the leading talent not only in front of the camera, but behind the scenes, that make sure whether it’s a live show or in studio, they are always on the cutting edge of topics and information and also how it’s rolled out.”
Powerful: Cam Newton reacts to getting fired by ESPN alongside Ryan Clark, saying he viewed his time at the network as an internship.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 22, 2026
"If you don't own your own platform, you're gonna get overlooked, bypassed and be extinct like Dinosaurs. Ryan Clark gonna be okay The Pivot… https://t.co/nonezNKOci pic.twitter.com/ir4BaLdxYD
Newton added that he would still have his podcast, and said his dismissal reinforced the importance of owning his own platform and not being reliant on ESPN for visibility.
Newton was one of several big names laid off by ESPN this week in a new round of cuts. The former NFL MVP had been a regular on ESPN’s “First Take” last season, but will evidently be focused on producing his own content going forward.
