Cam Newton accused of sparking viral brawl

Aug 22, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) warms up prior to the start of a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

One of the youth organizations involved in Sunday’s viral Cam Newton fight has released a statement placing the blame for what happened squarely on the former NFL quarterback.

TopShelf Performance, an Atlanta-based training facility that had teams participating in the event, issued a statement apologizing for their role in the fight, but they blamed Newton for starting it.

According to the statement, several of the TopShelf coaches involved had initially worked with Newton as part of his C1N foundation several years prior, but that Newton had “struggled to accept defeat” in the past when their teams defeated his.

https://twitter.com/DeeLovesSports/status/1762137724075831391

The statement claims that Newton was “taunting” TopShelf’s players repeatedly, prompting one of the TopShelf coaches to have a word with him about it. Newton allegedly tried to choke the coach, prompting another coach to intervene and punch Newton, escalating the situation. Police supposedly told TopShelf coaches that they witnessed the entire altercation and were aware that Newton started it.

The video that went viral on Sunday very much made it look like Newton was defending himself. Newton and his camp have yet to publicly comment on what happened.

Newton last played in the NFL in 2021. Never lacking in confidence, he has since become known for his hot takes about current quarterbacks.