Cam Newton comments on 'awkward' encounter with Colorado star Shedeur Sanders

The story behind the pregame meet-up last week in Orlando.

Schuyler Callihan | Oct 4, 2024

Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

In this story:

Carolina Panthers

Prior to last week's game between Colorado and UCF, former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton met on the field with Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders, and Travis Hunter. The interaction was caught on camera and according to Cam, it was as every bit of awkward as it seemed.

Shedeur Sanders says Cam Newton “be on that weird sh**, right to his face😳 pic.twitter.com/wldLrHU19b
— GUCCE🦬🐦‍⬛ (@gucceCU) October 3, 2024

“It was contentious. It was a little awkward. Not only with Shedeur, but also with Travis," Newton said on his show 4th & 1. "I’m not going to be like the media making this out to be (something that it’s not). It was a little (awkward). Wait…hold up. What? You beefing with me? I’m not beefing with you. I don’t feel a certain type of way. I’ve always been a fan. Make no mistake about it. I think to protect our conversation, and I think I need to and will be obedient to that. I think the difference between this age of athletes versus the age of athletes even when I was playing is so direct to consumer. I even shared this with Shedeur. I said, bro, there is a lot of support for you, and your father, and even Colorado. You don’t see that because people don’t naturally dwell on the good.”

Here’s how athletes have changed: @CameronNewton discusses his ‘awkward’ encounter with Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/fRPyP0adYc
— 4thand1show (@4thand1show) October 3, 2024

In the postgame press conference, Sanders was asked about that pregame moment with Cam and responded, “By remembering that you was just a HBCU kid that couldn’t do it on a Power Five level. That’s really what it was. I don’t forget anything. I don’t forget what anybody ever said. And personally, I’m not one to make friends or feel like just because success is going on, now I’m going to forgive everybody. I’m not really a forgiving type.”

Sanders did mention that there was no particular beef with Newton and that he was speaking about the overall perception of him.

Powerful quote by #Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders at #UCF Postgame as he speaks on how he stays extremely focused with cameras all around him,
when asked in light of the Cam Newton interaction.

“By remembering you was just a HBCU kid who couldn’t do it on a power 5 level.” pic.twitter.com/dZTFohV8QI
— Andrew Cherico (@Andrew_Cherico) October 1, 2024