Patriots Ex Cam Newton Finally Explains Viral 'Slide' Meme

Former New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton offered insight on one of the most viral moments in recent football memory.

Photo: NFL on CBS

Former New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton has resolved one of the biggest mysteries in recent NFL memory.

Newton's single year in New England, the topsy-turvy 2020 campaign, didn't create too many lasting memories but the 2015 MVP starred in one of the most memeable moments in NFL history.

As the Patriots wrapped up a 36-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium, CBS cameras caught a conversation between Newton and then-teammate N'Keal Harry. The discussion took an apparently ludicrous turn, as Newton eyed Harry suspiciously and slid down the bench while refusing to break eye contact. Social media users have often used the image to convey their own doubts and misgivings on a variety of platforms.

Nearly four years later, Newton revealed what caused him to sink on his web series "4th and 1." The mystery was unraveled during a Q&A segment, as a social media user inquired into Newton's incredulousness.

"Me and N'Keal were on the sidelines talking about basketball," Newton explained. "N'Keal was saying, in high school, he averaged 40 points. It was something ridiculous!"

"I was like 'Stop lying, bro!'" Newton continued. "Who the f--- were you playing in high school and why isn't this s--- documented? ... Because if you came down here to Atlanta, Georgia, you ain't going to average no 40, and if you did, you would've gone straight to the league. ... So when he said that s---, that was the reaction I had, I was like 'Bro, stop lying.'"

Harry, the Patriots' first-round pick in 2019, was indeed a multi-sport athlete at Chandler High School in Arizona before he starred for Arizona State University. According to MaxPreps, Newton had every right to be skeptical: though he exaggerated his scoring output, Harry averaged a very respectable 21.4 points and 10.5 rebounds for 37 varsity appearances for the Wolves before he opted to focus on football.

Newton and Harry's iconic conversation came in the final stages of a victory that pushed the Patriots to 2-1 on the season. Harry caught two of Newton's passes for 34, part of a 162-yard day that featured a touchdown pass to Rex Burkhead shortly before halftime. The win, alas, proved to be one of the final silver linings of the first post-Tom Brady campaign: New England lost each of their next four games after that and Newton wound up moving back to Carolina the following season. Harry, on the other hand, never lived up to his first-round billing and was moved to the Chicago Bears in 2022.