Cam Newton Takes Misguided Shot at Steve Sarkisian, Texas Longhorns

Former NFL MVP Cam Newton's comments about the Texas Longhorns are way off the mark.

Feb 7, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Cam Newton on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns have enjoyed a long-awaited return to the spotlight over the past two years, going 25-5 with back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Sarkisian deserves a lot of credit for guiding the Longhorns back to prominence after more than a decade without much to celebrate. At least, that's how a logical person should view the situation, but apparently not how former NFL MVP Cam Newton sees it.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian directs his player against Arizona State during the second quarter of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During an interview on "Up and Adams" last month, Sarkisian mentioned how he believes the Longhorns' culture has helped them win games over the past couple of years. While reacting to that interview, Newton went on a bizarre rant on how the Longhorns' booster money, not their culture, is the reason for their success.

Respectfully, Cam didn't understand the culture that Sarkisian took over after Herman left the program in disarray. While it's true that NIL has benefited the University of Texas, the culture established by the coaching staff, which has helped mold those young men into better… pic.twitter.com/b7biCes7JQ

— 40AcresLandLord (@40AcresLandLord) March 4, 2025

"Look, Coach Sarkisian, all that stuff is cool. Building a culture does take time, but having the boosters attached to the University of Texas also helps," Newton said. "Hello? They have the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation and probably the No. 1 spend in the nation. C'mon dog. C'mon bro. I'm not trying to discredit the importance of building a culture. It takes time. But come on.

"Any great coach knows that they need great players. Nowadays, these players are a great expense. We're going to look back at how college sports were impacted by NIL and find a commonality that teams who are winning are spending a lot of money. I'm not going to be the bearer of bad news, but I'll be the processor of real news."

On some level, Newton's point might make sense. After all, Ohio State, the team that just beat Texas en route to a national championship, assembled a roster worth around $20 million in NIL. Texas is even assembling a roster that costs around the same amount for 2025.

However, acting like that's the only reason players come to Austin is simply ridiculous. The Longhorns have always had talent, even during the forgettable decade that was the 2010s, but that talent only started translating to wins again once Sarkisian took over. That's not a coincidence by any means.

If that wasn't bad enough, the next part of Newton's rant is where he truly goes off the deep end.

"Coach Sarkisian, respectfully, what you've been able to do at Texas is admirable. I'm not only a fan of you but also your wife. She's fly. Matthew McConaughey was one of my childhood heroes and still someone I look up to. Vince Young. But Coach Sarkisian, my man, understand that the only way you're able to assemble those rosters is not only about culture but spending that money. Yo, bro, understand that the (money) is making athletes even consider it."

Regardless of one's opinion on this debate, an out of pocket comment like that about Sarkisian's wife just seems wrong. Then again, it's not that uncommon for the hot take artists that Newton is so clearly trying to emulate, and doing a questionable job of.

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