Cam Newton is laid off by ESPN, too

Published July 21, 2026 12:57 PM The latest round of ESPN layoffs is impacting plenty of recognizable names — including a former NFL MVP.Via Bobby Burack of Outkick, ESPN has cut ties with former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.Newton, who launched his own platform and showed that he has the chops to do the job, landed at First Take over the past two years as one of the folks appearing with Stephen A. Smith.Cam may have tiptoed on the third rail earlier this year, when interviewing Smith’s sworn enemy, Jason Whitlock, on Newton’s podcast. During the segment, Whitlock pushed the notion that Smith’s memoir contains fabrications. Newton didn’t push back.In every company, there’s a political minefield that needs to be navigated in order to ensure long-term survival. Ryan Clark, for example, threw a low blow last September while on the air with a new employee who has close ties to ESPN executive vice president of programming and original content Burke Magnus. And that’s the moment that reportedly caused ESPN to sour on Clark.The Whitlock interview may have caused Smith to sour on Newton. And with Newton’s only role at ESPN being a member of the show Smith runs, that may have been enough to get Newton’s name on the list.