Broadcasters Shannon Sharpe and Robert Griffin III are blasting a brawl that erupted at a youth football event in Atlanta, Georgia, in which several thugs jumped former NFL star Cam Newton.
The brawl occurred at the 7-on-7 football game in Atlanta, Ga., on Feb. 25, which is supposed to bring teens together for healthy amateur competition.
According to The Athletic, the brawl was kicked off when football training organization TopShelf Performance members confronted Newton at a tent sponsored by We Ball Sports, an apparel and sports media company that Newton was working with.
Better camera angle of the beginning of the fight when TSP crew tried to jump Cam Newton by blindsiding him with a punch. pic.twitter.com/TBZWc2q4nL
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) February 25, 2024
It is not known if there was already some bad blood between Newton and the TopShelf operatives, but it was reported that the latter had been involved with Newton in youth coaching in the past, the New York Post noted.
The TopShelf youth team defeated Newton’s We Ball team in what was described as a “heated game” that included much trash talk between the players and coaching staff.
The video of the fight brought several to comment about how white quarterbacks such as Peyton and Eli Manning would never have to worry about being so disrespected by people at an event like this.
“Peyton and Eli [Manning] have been having a camp for 20-something years,” broadcaster Shannon Sharpe said. “You ain’t never seen no kids being disrespectful to Peyton and Eli.”
Y’all think that’s cute [to tell Newton he’s trash]. It’s not,” Sharpe continued. “It’s really embarrassing that somebody takes time out of their day… and try to give back and you’re disrespectful, ungrateful.”
Sharpe added, “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.”
Unc & Ocho applaud Cam for his behavior 👏@ShannonSharpe @ochocinco @CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/iFP20N5PZx
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) February 26, 2024
Robert Griffin III agreed and blasted the attackers. Griffin said that it is impossible to expect blacks to earn respect in American society when they are going around perpetrating public assaults like that on Newton.
Griffin blasted the incident in a series of posts on X.
The Cam Newton fight was an unbelievable feat of standing on business and a high profile display of how we have to stop attacking each other if we want to change the narrative. https://t.co/uNdL2Dabg1 pic.twitter.com/Tv78ce2m8f
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 26, 2024
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? Turning a 7 on 7 tournament into a brawl and people leave… https://t.co/uNdL2D9Dqt
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) February 26, 2024
Organizers of the 7-on-7 event said the TopShelf people and Newton were removed from the event, and an internal review of the incident is underway.
“We are deeply concerned about the recent incident involving Cam Newton, and our thoughts are with all parties affected,” the group’s statement said. “Violence has no place in our community, and we strongly condemn any form of aggression.”
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