Cam Newton rips Josh Allen after Bills loss, Sean McDermott firing

Cam Newton knows a thing or two about Josh Allen's situation. The former Carolina Panthers QB was supremely physically gifted, exceptionally tough, asked to carry the load year in and year out for an otherwise fairly barren offense, and played under a defensive head coach.

If that sounds a whole lot like Allen, that's because they bear striking similarities. They've even both won an MVP award, although Newton's 15-1 season was perhaps more impressive than Allen's 2024 campaign.

So Newton might know what he's talking about with Allen. After the loss on Saturday and the subsequent firing of Sean McDermott, Carolina's DC for much of the Newton era, Newton did not mince words.

Cam Newton blames Josh Allen for playoff loss that led to Sean McDermott's firing

This was the year for Josh Allen. The AFC was made up of young, inexperienced QBs. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow didn't make it. The field was wide open. And yet, Allen and the Bills now sit at home.

Allen turned the ball over several times, including in overtime. That was a controversial ruling that some would argue was an offensive catch and therefore not Allen's fault, but that wasn't the lone miscue.

"Why are we tiptoeing around the obvious issue here, and it's the underperforming Josh Allen."@CameronNewton on Josh Allen after the Bills loss to the Broncos 🏈 pic.twitter.com/XbOgIjTb2P
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 19, 2026

After the game and after Sean McDermott was let go, Newton said on First Take, "Why are we tiptoeing around the obvious issue here, and it's the underperforming Josh Allen... This was supposed to be his year."

The former Panthers star intimated that McDermott might've lost his job because of Allen's turnovers. "Out of all the turnovers, the worst turnover for me was the one right before the half, because it was a 10-point swing right there. And now, how much did you lose by? Three points."

Allen inexplicably lateraled on a scramble near midfield with less than 10 seconds remaining. The fumble was recovered by the Broncos in field goal range, which allowed them kick it just before the half.

Newton went on, "For as great as Josh Allen is, he has not showed the clutch gene that we judge the quarterbacks off of. In order to be a great player, and this is coming from a guy who did not do this all the time, we judge players off this metric."

Newton is, of course, referencing his own Super Bowl failure and admitting some clutch-time struggles, again revealing how he knows what Allen's experience has been like. Still, that's when QBs make their money, and Newton is now holding Allen to the standard he was held to.

Newton has not been shy since moving into the media space. His most prominent takes often get dissected, and people routinely attack him as a person and a player.

Given the harsh nature of these comments, it won't be a surprise if Newton comes under fire from Bills fans, Josh Allen fans, or former NFL players. Par for the course with the former MVP, it seems.

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