CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Former Carolina star broad receiver Steve Smith Sr. took exception to feedback made by ex-teammate Cam Newton, who referred to as the Panthers “losers” earlier than he arrived in 2011 because the franchise’s No. 1 total decide.
Newton, in an look on a podcast that includes College of Colorado broad receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter final week main as much as the Tremendous Bowl, spoke concerning the pressures Hunter would possibly face if he’s chosen as the highest decide within the 2025 NFL draft.
“You may probably be the primary decide, however, bro, you haven’t any means of impacting the sport the best way a quarterback does,” Newton mentioned on the podcast. “You may lock down the No. 1 receiver. You can also make influence performs on offense all you need nevertheless it’s nonetheless not like a quarterback. My difficulty is that, once I was the primary decide, I went right into a locker room of losers. Simply sincere. Guys didn’t know learn how to win; guys didn’t know learn how to put together. They didn’t take themselves severe to comprehend we was 2-14. There was plenty of 2-14 within the mentality of these guys.”
These feedback didn’t sit nicely with Smith, the best receiver ever to put on a Panthers uniform and one among 15 finalists for the 2025 Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
Smith was a member of that 2010 workforce, although he struggled to supply that season due largely to the inconsistency on the quarterback place.
“53 man locker room – 1 = 52 losers. Wow… breaking information to 89,” Smith wrote on X together with an angry-face emoji in response to Newton’s feedback.
Smith, who went on to change into an analyst for the NFL Community, did not cease there.
A couple of hours later, he posted on X: “I’ve watched & listened from a far as U @CameronNewton discuss @Panthers! None of us are excellent. Sure We had been 2-14 earlier than you blessed us w ur presence. The way in which you could have talked about @panthers these days I’m very disenchanted. I want u nothing however the perfect. I’m achieved!!!”
Newton and Smith spent three seasons collectively in Carolina from 2011-13 and infrequently butted heads.
Newton would earn AP Rookie of the Yr honors in 2011 and helped construct the Panthers right into a profitable franchise.
He gained league MVP honors in 2015 when he mixed for 45 touchdowns and the Panthers completed 15-1 within the common season and reached Tremendous Bowl 50 earlier than dropping to the Denver Broncos. In that recreation Newton was broadly criticized for not leaping on a fumble, resulting in an important Carolina turnover.
Newton spent 10 of his 11 seasons with the Panthers and stays the franchise chief in yards passing and landing passes. He was 68-60-1 as Carolina’s beginning QB, the second-best profitable share in franchise historical past amongst QBs with a minimum of 25 begins behind Jake Delhomme (53-37), who led Carolina to its first Tremendous Bowl look in 2003.
When a fan advised on X that Smith has been crucial of the Panthers prior to now, the outspoken former broad receiver shortly responded: “I’ve by no means backed down from my phrases. Nonetheless calling the boys within the locker room losers isn’t slander it’s disrespectful! I disliked plenty of issues that occurred w/ my time there. However calling males losers naw.”
Newton has not responded to Smith’s feedback.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright 2025 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.