‘Why It Gotta Be a Black Event?’: Cam Newton Apologizes for Brawl at 7-on-7 Tourney

Brett Davis_Fan Controlled Football_Getty Images
Brett Davis/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images
Dylan Gwinn

Cam Newton is publicly speaking out and apologizing for the brawl between him and several others during a 7-on-7 tournament in Atlanta last weekend.

Video of the scrap quickly went viral as the former NFL player could be seen fighting at least three other men by himself.

Newton did not address the issue for several days. However, on Friday, during his 4th & 1 podcast, Newton took ownership of the affair and lamented the fact that the incident contributed to a negative image of a “black event.”

“There’s no excuse,” Newton said. “It’s really not, ’cause it could’ve been a melee, more violence could’ve stemmed from that, and it’s just not called for. And on top of that, it’s echoing something that’s been permeating for years — black people. Why it gotta be at a black event? You know what I’m saying? And I can easily play the victim, and I’m not going to do that.”

The former Panther also stressed the need to change the behavior and narrative surrounding events like the 7-on-7 tournaments to give young people positive role models.

“I have to use my power to empower the next generation,” he stressed. “That’s all I wanna do. I wanna use what I’ve been through as information to change the narrative because, to be honest, these are a lot of children’s way out of their situation.
“They don’t have lawyers to look up to. They don’t have counselors to look up to. They see street n*****s, they see people who are rapping, and they see athletes as people that they look up to.”

Newton’s opponents in the scrum, Top Shelf Performance, also shared their version of events.

Neither side is pressing charges.

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