Former NFL QB Cam Newton — who stands 6'5" — easily handles thugs who attack him at football camp; NFL icons blast assailants

In 2015, ESPN ran a story on then-Carolina Panthers signal-caller Cam Newton, noting that he's bigger than most defenders trying to sack or tackle him.

"Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, there aren’t many quarterbacks who are as physically imposing as Cam Newton," the piece began, adding that he's actually taller than 90% of the defenders in the league and outweighs just over half of them.

Fast forward to this weekend when multiple males actually jumped Newton at a football camp in Atlanta.

It isn't clear what strategy these fellas devised, if any. Given Newton is only 34 years old and last competed against NFL players only a few seasons ago, one can safely assume the sane among us wouldn't mess with someone of his still-sturdy stature.

But mess with Newton they did — at least they tried. Yup, the former number-one draft pick and All-Pro handled his attackers with ease, fending off their swatting, swarming, and shoving.

Here's a clip of the action. Newton's the noticeably taller dude wearing the fancy hat — which never came off despite the whirlwind of activity the shorties around him doled out.

Content warning: language:

What are the details?

According to the Athletic, the Sunday scuffle occurred during a 7-on-7 football event for under-15 and under-18 players, and Newton is the founder of C1N, a program that participated in the event.

The outlet said individuals involved with TopShelf Performance — a wide receiver training facility in Atlanta that also had youth teams at the event — approached Newton at the top of a set of steps. The Athletic said Newton was grabbed, and the fight was on.

A source with knowledge of elite 7-on-7 football told the outlet two men seen fighting with Newton were both coaches for TopShelf Performance and formerly coached with Newton. The clip shows the pair converging on him — after which, Newton quickly gains control and manhandles one of them across a grassy area. Police and security guards broke up the fight, the Athletic said.

A co-founder of the group that sponsored the event told the outlet that all those involved in the fight — even Newton — were kicked out, and that TopShelf beat C1N in a “heated game” Saturday with a lot of trash talk between the under-18 teams and tensions boiled over Sunday.

The Athletic added that Newton’s representatives didn't immediately respond to messages Sunday evening, and the Atlanta Police Department declined to provide information.

Former NFL stars speak out

A number of former NFL players weren't short on words about the altercation, and they appeared to defend Newton while blasting his attackers.

Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and All-Pro receiver Chad Johnson sounded off during their “Nightcap” podcast, the New York Post said.

“Y’all think that’s cute [to tell Newton he’s trash]. It’s not,” Sharpe according to the Post. “It’s really embarrassing that somebody takes time out of their day… and try to give back and you’re disrespectful, ungrateful. Cam is way better than me because I don’t have patience for my own kids disrespecting me. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let somebody else’s kid disrespect me.”

Johnson added, “Knowing Cam like I do…. he’s not going to allow this to bother him. When you have someone like Cam Newton giving players an opportunity to display themselves at these 7-on-7 camps, you’re supposed to be taking advantage of these situations. Many times I’ve seen players, coaches, and parents disrespect Cam Newton at these camps," the paper said.

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III added that Newton is "used to being a one-man army, so you are delulu if you thought some guys jumping him was gonna phase him. Hat didn’t even move," the Post said.

Griffin added, "In all seriousness, I HATE seeing this. Cam Newton nor anyone should ever be disrespected in this way. How can we rise, do better for our communities, and change the narrative when we are attacking each other like this?" the paper noted.

Here are some other reactions:

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