[ad_1]
Philip Rivers hasn’t performed within the NFL for a number of years. Neither has Cam Newton.
Rivers is in his mid-40s. Newton is in his mid-30s.
Rivers signed with the Indianapolis Colts this week. Newton didn’t — and he’s taking it considerably personally that the workforce didn’t even attain out to him.
“It’s nearly like a slap in my face, bro,” Newton mentioned on the newest episode of the “4th&1 with Cam Newton” podcast. “ I ain’t gonna lie.”
Cohost Omari “Penny” Collins identified that NFL groups might not notice Newton is accessible due to his excessive profile as a podcaster and TV character.
Newton stared at Collins incredulously earlier than shouting his response.
“Did Philip Rivers ship any sort of signal that he was out there?” the common contributor on ESPN’s “First Take” mentioned. “Why you asking me to do one thing that everyone else didn’t do? I ain’t no sucker. I ain’t no lab rat. Come on, bro.”
Newton added: “Folks be holding folks to a regular that they ain’t even holding everyone else to that commonplace. And that’s what I don’t like. ‘Properly, you ain’t confirmed that you simply [are available].’ Have you ever adopted my Snapchat?”
Rivers spent his first 16 NFL seasons with the Chargers and another with the Indianapolis Colts earlier than retiring after the 2020 season. An eight-time Professional Bowl choice, Rivers ranks within the NFL’s high 10 for passing yards, passing touchdowns and passes accomplished. He’s at present a Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame semifinalist, though his eligibility for that honor might quickly get pushed again.
If Rivers finally ends up on their lively roster — a definite risk with the multitude of quarterback accidents the Colts are coping with — Rivers gained’t be eligible for the Corridor of Fame till 5 years after he retires once more.
The signing reunites Rivers with Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen, his onetime quarterbacks coach after which offensive coordinator with the Chargers. The 2 males are shut buddies who’re mentioned to talk on the cellphone weekly. As coach of St. Michael Catholic Excessive in Fairhope, Ala., Rivers makes use of the identical performs and terminology as Steichen.
However, as Newton identified to Collins, “he’s 44 years previous, bro.”
Newton, however, is 36.
Drafted No. 1 general by the Carolina Panthers in 2011, he was the league MVP in 2015 and led the Panthers to the Tremendous Bowl the identical yr. His 75 profession dashing touchdowns and 46 profession video games with each passing and dashing touchdowns had been each data for NFL quarterbacks till they had been damaged this season by Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
Newton has not performed since 2021, however he by no means formally retired.
“I didn’t,” he mentioned, “and won’t due to a possibility like this.”
Newton speculated that groups is likely to be scared off by his flamboyant character. “They don’t desire a circus,” he mentioned.
He additionally joked that the Colts have already got a star participant who wears jersey No. 1 — cornerback Sauce Gardner — they usually knew “I gotta get No. 1.”
Newton was certain to state he had nothing private towards Rivers, his “brother from one other.” However Newton additionally made it clear he wouldn’t hesitate to work out for an NFL workforce actually thinking about his companies.
“I’m open for enterprise,” he mentioned. “However I wanna be [with] who actually need me. When you don’t need me, don’t ship flowers.”
[ad_2]
