On Monday, a video of Carolina Panthers great Cam Newton went viral—one in which he addressed a teenage “fan” who heckled him during the recent New Orleans stop of Deestroying’s “1ON1” tour. Newton then addressed the situation on Tuesday while releasing some previously unseen footage of his own.
“So too many times, we’ve seen people—hecklers, fans, whatever—give off an energy not knowing that they may get what they’re asking for,” he said. “As a fan, you’re free to say whatever you want to say. My issue comes when you play the victim. You started this and the energy that you are giving, I just matched it.”
Newton’s videographer captured the teenager, presumably a New Orleans native, razzing the 2015 Most Valuable Player for his success, or apparent lack thereof, against the Saints. The teen repeatedly asked Newton who his “daddy” is, suggesting that it was former Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Paternity inquires aside, Newton didn’t seem to mind the banter—as long as the kid who was giving it could also take it.
“If a child is bold enough to speak to an adult, then that child should also take what that adult is giving to them,” he added. “Usually, somebody will say something that gets thrown out of context. Not in this case. Not in this day and age. Because the athlete, the entertainer, the person of influence has an opportunity to tell their narrative. And that’s all I’m doing right now.”
īm jūšt gøīñg tø łēávē thīš rīght hērē…. pic.twitter.com/cQ2UIIl30X
— Cameron 1 Newton (@CameronNewton) July 25, 2023
Check out the full video from Newton’s visit to the bayou here:
