The recent interview between Cam Newton and sports commentator Jason Whitlock has caused a major stir across the league, even impacting Newton’s relationships with colleagues, especially fellow “First Take” contributor Ryan Clark. Although the two have traded personal jabs in the past, the current feud has prompted other NFL legends to weigh in on the incident. This time, it’s Dallas Cowboys legend Dez Bryant who has provided his two cents.

“This is exactly why I steer away from a bunch of shit…the dollar sign and lust for attention will make some folks lose their integrity,” Dez Bryant wrote on Newton’s response to Clark. “My energy won’t allow me to be around it, even if I tried to fake it. I respect Cam for living his truth… What Cam is talking about is the sh-t that happens behind closed doors all the time. Folks get in positions and think they’re bigger than they are. Folks get in positions telling other folks not to mess with them because of personal issues. That’s the shit that happens for real.”

It’s not the first time Dez Bryant has echoed his support for Newton. Before the Patriots started the 2021 season, Bill Belichick didn’t finalize his roster, and after a 7-9 record in 2020, Bryant tweeted that the 2021 team had “a chance” to do something special because of Newton. He explicitly compared that year’s Patriots to the 2015 Carolina Panthers team that Newton led to a Super Bowl. Newton also won MVP that season.

“Btw, I want to go on record saying I compare this Cam Newton team to the Carolina Panther team he took to super bowl,” Bryant wrote on X. “A team full of superstar playability with a chip on their shoulder on 1 team…they have a chance.”

Even though Newton didn’t make it to the Patriots’ final 2021 roster, it seems that Bryant’s support for the 36-year-old didn’t wither at all. This whole thing between Newton and Clark started with Cam Newton’s podcast, 4th & 1. He had Jason Whitlock on for a lengthy chat, during which the American columnist claimed that Stephen A. Smith from ESPN is a ‘fraudulent’ and misrepresented some of his history. That moment quickly drew attention, and soon after, Ryan Clark publicly questioned Newton’s decision.

“If someone shows you love, has you on “their” show twice a week… at least. You don’t bring his known enemy on your show and allow your guest to talk shit about a person. That’s not G at all. Loyalty is at a minimum these days,” Ryan Clark wrote on X.

Clark’s response shows how close he is to Stephen A. Smith. After retiring in 2015, Clark became a well-known figure on ESPN, appearing on shows like NFL Live, Get Up, SportsCenter, and First Take, where Smith often takes charge of the discussion. Meanwhile, Newton has created his own space in the media since leaving football. The ex-Carolina Panthers player has become a familiar voice and even took on a big role on First Take, landing a multi-year contract before last season.

So, when Newton hosted Whitlock, who has a history with Smith, Clark viewed it as crossing a line. However, it’s not the first time Clark and Newton have had a disagreement.  In July 2025, Newton’s comments questioned if Jalen Hurts was a top-10 quarterback, leading to a back-and-forth where Clark defended Hurts.

“I’m gonna be truthful; I don’t really care what he said about me,” Clark said in a video posted to X. “I’m so damn comfortable with my career. But anytime we get into the weeds and talk about who doesn’t do it anymore, we miss the mark. And I get it, some of y’all think I missed the mark when I said he didn’t bring his cape or when I said, ‘Where was his ring?’ To be honest, I was comparing Jalen Hurts to Cam Newton, who was a top-10’er, [and] Eli Manning, who was a top-10’er. I was highlighting how good Jalen was against Patrick Mahomes. And Cam said I was safe the week before. So I started to have a little fun.”

Newton didn’t let that go. He attacked Clark’s career credentials, noting that Clark was undrafted and only had one Pro Bowl, which Newton claimed meant they “cannot relate”. Everyone has the choice to have their own opinions about certain things. And when you are a media personality and run your own podcast, opinions are the only thing that’s filling your pocket. That’s exactly why Cam Newton wouldn’t sell his soul just to prove his loyalty.

Cam Newton claps back at Ryan Clark

After Ryan Clark’s public call-out, Cam Newton made his stance clear.

“So you mean to tell me who I can and can’t have on my platform?” Newton said. “I don’t go and say to you who you can have on your platform.”

Newton then talked about how he owns his show, making it clear that he calls the shots without anyone else getting involved.

“One thing that’s not going to happen is a puppet string attached to my back,” he said. “Ron Rivera knew that. Jerry Richardson knew that. Gene Chizik knew that. Bill Belichick knew that. Every single coach and player that I’ve ever played with knows that I’m going to do things how I want to do them.”

That history, according to Newton, backs up how he operates today. He made it clear that there’s a distinct difference between his job at ESPN and his own show. Even though he’s still on First Take, he views 4th & 1 as a place where things operate differently.

“The reason why I decided to bring Jason Whitlock on 4th & 1 was that he had strong takes that I wanted to talk man to man about,” Newton explained. “What better way to ease all that than through conversation?”

He brushed off the notion that loyalty should influence who guests choose. Still, Newton was open about addressing Clark directly.

“Don’t micromanage me. Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” he said. “In this world of content, there’s no such thing as loyalty.”

In the end, this situation has grown beyond one interview. With people like Dez Bryant, Ryan Clark, Stephen A. Smith, and Jason Whitlock weighing in, the conversation now reflects a broader tension between loyalty and creative freedom, and it doesn’t look like it’s dying down anytime soon.