Cam Newton shares 'kiss my a**' story about backup that differs from past view
Cam Newton has recalled his hostile relationship with ex-Carolina Panthers quarterback Jimmy Clausen, claiming tension with the fellow signal-caller began with a tussle over the No. 2 jersey he wore at Auburn.
His comments sharply contrast what he said as a player entering the NFL, when he publicly declared the number a non-issue. Speaking on YouTube earlier this week, Newton opened up on his relationship with Clausen and alleged he was told to pay for the jersey number.
"[Jimmy Clausen] was like, 's***, if you want it, you gotta pay for it,'" Newton said on YouTube this week. "I was like, 'Cool, how much?' He said 'a million.' I said 'Boy, kiss my a**, a million dollars, bro? People don't make a million dollars in a lifetime, let alone I'm gonna give you a million dollars just for a number.'
"I said 'Oh, you for real?' I hung that phone up, true story. I called the equipment manager and said I'm rocking with No. 1. ... I made an oath to myself. I said that will be the last time Jimmy Clausen will ever be heard of in Carolina."
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Carolina drafted Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, one year after picking Clausen in the second round. The Panthers gave Newton the starting job from the get-go.
Clausen never played another snap for the Panthers, while Newton developed into an MVP-winning quarterback who took his team to a Super Bowl. The Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens gave Clausen second and third chances to prove himself in the NFL, but he failed to win any of his four starts with those organisations.
Clausen peaked as a highly regarded prospect at Notre Dame, throwing 28 touchdown passes to four interceptions as a junior before entering the NFL Draft.
Jimmy Clausen struggled in the NFL after excelling in college at Notre Dame. (Getty Images)As a player, Newton took on a more diplomatic tone about Clausen. "I really don't care. It's just a number to me," the quarterback said in 2011. "Gossip sells, and I understand that with people hearing I wore No. 2 in college, and Jimmy has it right now, but it's not a big deal to me. I just want to get that out of the way and throw it out there. It's not the number. It's the person wearing it."
In a separate interview at the time, Newton added: "I don't want to give off a situation where we hate each other's guts and we're just out there running over each other. Jimmy is helping me and I hope I'm helping Jimmy. We want to bring out the best in each other."
Newton hasn't officially retired from the NFL but hasn't played since 2021. He posted a 68-60-1 record in two stints with the Panthers, throwing 194 touchdowns and 123 interceptions. The 6-foot-5 star also ran for more than 5,000 yards in Carolina.
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