ESPN analyst and podcaster Cam Newton made a great living as an MVP caliber quarterback. But now that he\u2019s retired, he\u2019s going to try to make a living in the media by trolling MVP favorite Drake Maye.<\/p>\n
Earlier this fall, Newton expressed his doubts over Maye\u2019s ability<\/a> in his excellent sophomore season with the New England Patriots, choosing instead to credit new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. That led to a ridiculous one-side feud<\/a> where Newton and Stephen A. Smith wouldn\u2019t let Maye take the high road when he tried to ignore the comments.<\/p>\n But now that Maye is the runaway favorite for the MVP (much to Dan Orlovsky\u2019s chagrin<\/a>) with the Patriots tied for the best record in the NFL, Newton is going to the well once again \u2013 this time on his 4th & 1 podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n After documenting that Maye\u2019s coaches were fired after his rookie season and again questioning whether New England\u2019s success is really due to him or McDaniels, Newton waited until the very end of his comments to unleash the ultimate troll job by calling him a \u201cgame manager.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou may not like who\u2019s saying it\u2026 but it\u2019s the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Cam Newton explains why MVP favorite Drake Maye isn\u2019t a game-changer\u2026 yet \ud83e\uddd0 pic.twitter.com\/8pvMPhMJdd<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) January 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Cam Newton knows exactly what he\u2019s doing. He knows this video and this clip is going to go viral. He knows all of the weight and baggage that comes with quarterbacks being labeled a \u201cgame manager.\u201d He knows how to insert himself into the video to make it about his playing days and persona. He knows how to expertly weave in a message to subscribe. He\u2019s even wearing New England Patriots gear. You won\u2019t see a better troll job in 2026.<\/p>\n You have to give Newton all the credit in the world for studying what it takes to be a somebody in sports media and on social media in 2026 and going all the way in. It\u2019s why he went on First Take\u00a0on Friday and talked about the SEC still being the top conference in college football because of their television ratings<\/a> and not their actual on-field performance.<\/p>\n Is it frustrating? Yes. Is it something that\u2019s going to anger and polarize a lot of people? Yes. Is it built to generate a reaction as its first priority? Yes. Will it lead Cam Newton to becoming even more relevant as a media personality as he follows in the footsteps of Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless? One thousand percent yes.<\/p>\n \t