Cam Newton says he gets “no Brady deal” while discussing racial pay gaps in NFL media

American sports journalist Jemele Hill was interviewed on former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton’s podcast, Funky Friday. She points out that Newton is the only Black former quarterback currently providing analysis on a major television network. “I think you’re the only Black quarterback that’s on television on a major network?” Hill said. “You got [Tom] Brady, [Tony] Romo, former quarterbacks, Terry Bradshaw, former quarterback, that space has been dominated by white quarterbacks. You’re the only Black one that is a quarterback that is on TV given analysis.”Cam Newton smiles and says, “I’ll take that. You heard that, Gilly?” Gilly could refer to two people. One is Gillie da Kid, a Philadelphia native, co-host of Million Dollaz Worth of Game, and a former rapper who reportedly has a public feud with Newton. The other is Jean Gilbert Francillon, a fashion designer who was a guest on Newton’s Funky Friday podcast. The first seems more likely. Anyway, let’s hear what Jemele Hill continued to say, “The experience you have as a Black quarterback being in the NFL, being a former MVP is different…” NFL legend Tom Brady signed a $375 million media deal with FOX, and Dallas Cowboys legend Tony Romo signed a $180 million deal with CBS. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton’s multi-year deal with ESPN is reportedly valued at about $2 million per year. After Jamele noted a fact: “The experience you have as a Black quarterback being in the NFL, being a former MVP is different,” Newton supposedly acknowledged the racial pay gap and said that there was no personal bitterness. He clarified that he respects Brady and Romo’s work ethics and the technical expertise they bring to their respective broadcasting careers. He even cited an example.“Yeah, but…can we keep it funky?” Newton said. “I don’t get no Brady deal. I don’t get no Romo deal. That’s just facts. Am I bitter? Hell no! Because knowing what I know now, being a member of the media, I know that Brady worked his [---] off or has to work his [---] off to get prepared for that show that he presents to the world. So does Romo. I see Romo cover sports like a quarterback thinks. And that’s why I can appreciate it. He’s like, ‘Oh, it’s too high safety, get prepared for it.’ Like that’s…you’re not supposed to say that. That’s how simple it is. And as he’s commentating, I can appreciate that, and I can see that why he makes the type of money that he does make…” Jemele argued that major networks do not offer the same opportunities to Black quarterbacks, regardless of their charisma or credentials. Hill later shared that Newton is one of the few Black former quarterbacks serving as a prominent media analyst [a regular on ESPN’s First Take].Jemele interrupts and says, “But that’s an opportunity, Cam, that they would not extend to you.” Newton agrees, “That’s a fact.” Jemele concludes, “When you think about maybe the Black quarterbacks that will be out of the game, I don’t see a Black quarterback getting those types of deals.” Newton shared that he is committed to working his [---] off to break barriers and ensure future generations of Black quarterbacks have equal pathways into sports media after their playing careers. He emphasized being his authentic self, including his appearance, noting that he grew his hair after retiring from the NFL. He added that he wants to empower others to pursue their goals despite barriers, rather than just being rebellious. Newton continued, “That’s why this [circles his hand around his face] is important. Because I’m going to work my [---] off to open up as many opportunities as I possibly can. I would want the narrative to be, ‘We need to go get somebody like Cam Newton,’ because even when I came into the NFL, the narrative of the Black quarterback wasn’t what it is now. I’m not gonna take no credit for that, I’m just going to say, I did my part. That’s all I wanna do. So, when people say, even you hinted off camera, ‘Yo! when I met you, you were still in the league, you did not have hair!’It’s because for me, I don’t want people to look at me as being rebellious more than I’m empowering people to say, ‘You can do this, too, bro. You can do it.’ To not live in our reality where certain people get opportunities that we don’t get. Cool, we can accept that. But don’t let that be the reason why you don’t try, though. So, for me, it’s being authentically myself going on ESPN, or First Take, talking about Trick Daddy and Trina, having cultural discussions, you gotta sprinkle it in, you can’t smudge it in.”Jemele encourages Newton to embrace the approach. Since he’s been an accomplished athlete, it affords him a degree of grace to challenge the norms. She urged him not to let the industry suppress or silence his unique voice so that the next generation can have a less obstructed pathway. “Don’t let them change you from doing that either,” Jemele said. “Because given the fact that you’re an accomplished athlete, you’re gonna get a little more grace to do those things. So run with it. So that, like you said, the next person doesn’t have to deal with being suppressed or silenced in some kind of way.”Also Read: “Don’t become a distraction”: Cam Newton echoed Cowboys legend Michael Irvin when he criticized Dillon Gabriel’s fiancée Zo Caswell