Cam Newton‘s appearance on ESPN‘s First Take took an unexpected turn Friday when the former NFL quarterback appeared to punch Alabama A&M‘s mascot during a live segment.
What began as a lighthearted moment at Legion Field quickly became a viral controversy, sparking debate about Newton‘s behavior and professionalism.
The First Take crew had traveled to Birmingham ahead of Saturday’s Alabama State vs. Alabama A&M rivalry game. As part of the broadcast, the schools’ mascots-Stinger from Alabama State and Butch from Alabama A&M-participated in a 40-yard dash.
And Newton, who joined ESPN as an analyst in 2024, waited at the finish line to celebrate the race’s conclusion, but after cheering on Stinger, the ex-quarterback was unexpectedly approached by Butch, who playfully knocked the quarterback’s hat off.
The light banter ended abruptly when he reacted by swinging at the mascot as the brief scuffle saw Newton push Butch away before shouting, “Stop playing with me!”
Butch quickly backed off and raised his hands in apology, and viewers immediately flooded social media with reactions, as many questioned whether the exchange was scripted or spontaneous, but the majority seemed to believe it was genuine.
One user wrote via X.com, formerly Twitter, “It’s kind of an a$$hole thing to do-run off and go play with him and then be like, ‘Don’t play with me! Stop playing!’ Like…wtf did he expect?”
Another added, “Lmaooooooo Cam a clown for this. Probably some poor 18yr kid happy to play around with Unc. Come on man.”
Whilst others were more critical, with one remarking, “He can fight a mascot but won’t jump on a ball…..”
For ESPN, the viral incident comes as an unwelcome distraction. Newton, who re-signed with the network earlier this year, has become a key part of First Take‘s on-location broadcasts, offering analysis and engaging with fans.
His larger-than-life personality, long celebrated in football circles, now seems to be testing the limits of what audiences expect from a studio analyst.
Newton inducted into Hall of Fame
Away from the controversy, Newton recently received recognition for his long and decorated career, as the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame announced that the Westlake High School alum would be inducted as part of its 2025 class.
The organization wrote, “Congratulations to former @WestlakeFB1 and @AuburnFootball QB, 2011 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick and 2015 NFL MVP @CameronNewton on his induction into the 2025 Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame!”
Newton expressed gratitude for the honor in a short video, calling the moment “something special,” as the achievement adds to a list of accolades that began during his high school years.
There he threw for over 1,400 yards and rushed for 1,000 more as a senior before moving from Westlake to Auburn on his journey to NFL stardom, which has been marked by resilience and success.
He became a Heisman Trophy winner, led Auburn to a national championship, and later earned NFL MVP honors in 2015 with the Carolina Panthers, helping them reach the Super Bowl.
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