Former star NFL quarterback Cam Newton became the center of a heated scuffle at a 7-on-7 tournament on Sunday in Atlanta, leaving those who watched footage of the fight wondering what led to the stunning development.
Now, the opposing coaches at the center of the viral brawl have broken their silence.
Opposing Coaches Detail Why Moment With Cam Newton Got Heated
Speaking on 105.3 FM in Atlanta, Top Shelf Performance coaches T.J. and Steph Brown — whose team was involved in the fight with Newton — revealed what triggered the brawl at the We Ball Sports 7-on-7 tournament.
The coaches, though, began by issuing an apology.
“First and foremost, what I want to do is I wanna apologize to everybody that was out there and to the parents of not just our team but everybody,” T.J. Brown explained.
“Like, that should’ve never happened. We should’ve been able to sit down and talk. There’s no reason we should be yelling at each other while a game’s going on…Ain’t none of that necessary.”
Then, T.J. Brown stated that the 2015 NFL MVP and NFC champion Newton was seen ridiculing Brown’s team, saying, “There was a lot of trash talk.” Yet, the talking continued from Newton during their game, which eventually boiled over.
“Just out of nowhere, just talking crazy to us for no reason, and it’s like, it’s not nothing new … this is typical Cam Newton behavior,” T.J. Brown said.
But Brown then illustrated that Newton himself had initiated a physical altercation before the brawl officially broke out. He witnessed Newton grabbing Steph Brown and even getting close to his face.
Ultimately, the scuffle broke out involving Top Shelf Performance and Newton.
Coach Claims Newton Never Showed Love After Putting QB’s Brand “On the Map”
Brown dove further with explaining how he claimed it was his venture that gave Newton’s club team, C1N, a platform in the 7-on-7 realm.
“I feel like with C1N, we overly played our part putting [Cam Newton’s] brand on the map,” Brown said. “He never followed us on social media until we started a team.”
This is implying that, by Brown’s words, it was Top Shelf Performance who helped introduce Newton into the 7-on-7 game, but Newton never praised them on social media.
Meanwhile, Top Shelf Performance’s Instagram Page issued its own apology for the altercation with the former NFL quarterback.
“We are actively addressing this matter internally and working towards a resolution that aligns with our commitment to creating a positive space for our team and clients,” TSP’s statement reads.
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“We appreciate your understanding and want to reassure our community that something like this will never happen again. We remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity and will continue to help and grow with the players in the community.”
Cam Newton Breaks His Silence on Brawl
Newton shared his thoughts on the matter through his “4th and 1” podcast released Friday.
Long story short, Newton said there’s “no excuse” for the actions that took place in Atlanta.
“I apologize to anybody affected. That’s Steph, that’s TJ, that’s their organization, that’s C1N, — my organization — my players, my parents, my staff members,” Newton said.
He also acknowledged that the fight could’ve worsened.
“There’s no excuse, there’s really not,” Newton said. “It could’ve been a melee, more violence could’ve stemmed from that, and it’s just not called for.”
Newton continued with his apology by stating how he hopes others view his situation moving forward.
“To every single high school player, to every single person I’ve influenced, to every single athlete, use my situation as a way to understand that in one moment, in one decision, your life can change, just like that,” Newton said, while also snapping his fingers in describing the moment.
And Newton’s final message in his statement? One that involves controlling your emotions.
“I think about the kids that look up to me, and whether they verbalize their appreciation or just stare in amazement, I feel like I let them down. Because I can’t sit up here and say, ‘Hey bro, you gotta be bigger than that’ and then all of a sudden I do that. That just goes to show you, you gotta always stay in control of your emotions,” Newton said.
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