ESPN has been laying off more talent lately. The newest batch of firings includes the likes of Ryan Clark, Tom Pelissero, and Cam Newton, to name a few.
Some, upon getting let go by their employer, immediately turn bitter, taking the parting as something personal. Others are careful not to burn bridges and are mostly grateful for the opportunity they were given in the first place. That seems to be Newton’s mindset too.
Why Cam Newton Isn’t Angry at ESPN After Being Laid Off?
The last time fans saw Newton in action on an NFL field came in 2021 when he returned for a second stint with the Carolina Panthers. While Newton only started 5 of the 8 games he appeared in that season, he never earned another playing opportunity in the NFL.
So, Newton turned to a media career instead. Newton had already built out a media presence before his playing career ended, he hosted the Nickelodeon reality series ‘All in with Cam Newton’ in 2016 and later launched his ‘4th & 1’ sports podcast in 2024.
Newton continued refining his skills in media. By 2024, ESPN brought him on as a football commentator, where he’d contribute on “First Take.” Despite earning a larger role and signing a contract extension in August of 2025, Newton has now been laid off.
Yet, as noted, rather than feeling anger toward his former employer, Newton said on his “4th and 1” podcast that holding feelings of hostility simply isn’t his style.
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“You can’t make me hate ESPN. What I’ve learned, it was an internship almost. The production value. They are the leading sports source for a reason,” Newton said.
“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 whether it’s in studio, that they are always on the cutting edge of topics and information and also how it’s rolled out. So when the news came about, I felt like anybody else would. I didn’t (see it coming), but that’s not the topic that I want to kind of belabor on.”
While Newton, like Clark, didn’t see the news coming, it doesn’t mean he’s going to be looking back with regrets. If anything, Newton sounds grateful for the connections he’s made and the relationships he’ll continue to hold for many more years to come.
“The only thing I can look at now, I will not be going back to First Take. If it was up to me, I still left with some things that you can’t pay for. And that’s relationships. That’s connections.”
Newton has made plenty of connections and built a strong following both during his playing career and as an analyst. Chances are, he’ll land on his feet, but that doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye.
