Cam Newton has weighed in ... again.
The former Carolina Panthers quarterback explained his recent criticism of Brock Purdy, which included him referring to the San Francisco signal-caller as a "game manager" rather than a "game changer" and a cryptic social media post during Monday's 49ers-Baltimore Ravens contest.
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"I know I was right, but that doesn't tell you that I'm saying Brock Purdy isn't a good football player," Newton said on his "4th & 1" podcast, which was released Wednesday. "… It takes so much for guys to have a successful, dominant game. A lot of those interceptions [against the Ravens] were tipped passes. I know how that feels. So, it could have been anybody, and I will not be an advocate to hating on people because they didn't have a good game.
"I said what I said. It never was intended to disrespect or degrade anybody. Did I say they are game managers? Yes. That's still not a bad connotation. But I said there's only four to five game changers in this league. One was on display last night. [Ravens QB] Lamar Jackson is capable of taking over a game anytime or whenever he feels like it. That's what makes him a game changer."
Newton also raised some eyebrows when, during San Francisco's Christmas night loss to Baltimore, he sent out a conveniently timed post on X, formerly known as Twitter, of three monocle emojis. The game arguably was the worst showing of Purdy's young career, as he threw a career-high four interceptions with no touchdowns before exiting the game in the fourth quarter with a stinger.
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Newton later clarified in a separate video on his X account Wednesday that the emojis weren't meant in a bad way toward Purdy.
In that same video, the former NFL MVP also responded to Deebo Samuel after the 49ers wide receiver called him out during his weekly "Up & Adams" appearance over his Purdy critique.
"I used the monocle emoji basically saying like, 'What's going on here?' Not to retract my statement. I said what I said. Or in this case, I emoji'd what I emoji'd," Newton said in a NSFW video in which he tagged Samuel. "Now, Deebo. My guy. Been a fan, still a fan. You must stop the cap, bro. You said something like, 'Cam, stop calling my phone.' Motherf--ker, I don't got your number. Whoever calling you, that ain't my phone calling you. It was so believable I had to go back on my phone [to check]. That s--t was believable.
"But I don't even got your number to call you or reach out to you. And if I did, put it out there for the people to see. I want the receipts because maybe somebody reaching out to you that I don't necessarily know. But it wasn't me.
"Nah, I don't like that. So whoever the f--k calling you, Deebo, it ain't me, bro. But I still f--k with you. And I know you're emotional about the loss and you're defending your teammate, as you should. I'm still a fan, bro."
Newton wasn't Samuel's only target, as he also called out Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons on "Up & Adams" for his Purdy criticism during the 49ers' loss.
"First of all, Cam Newton, stop texting my phone, bro," Samuel said. "You was a fan like two weeks ago. That's mad crazy. You wanted me on your podcast after talking about my quarterback, which is funny to me.
"But back to Micah Parsons. Bro, we beat you [42-10] a long time ago. I don't get why he's so bothered about what we got going on over here or whatever the case may be."
The plot continues to thicken over a player who doesn't pay any attention to the outside noise. But there's a level of uncertainty that this will be the last we hear from all parties involved.
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