On Wednesday, ESPN announced that it had reached a multi-year deal with former NFL MVP Cam Newton.
Newton, who was already appearing on the network, will now expand his role on First Take, helping to fill the void left by Shannon Sharpe, who was let go by ESPN in late July after he settled the sexual-assault lawsuit filed by a former partner.
“I am excited to be back with the First Take team and share my voice on all things sports,” said Newton in an ESPN release. “This is an incredible opportunity for me to connect with fans and bring my passion and knowledge to a show I’ve always admired.”
Newton has seen the success of his podcast, 4th and 1, grow over the last year, which caught the attention of ESPN. Now he’ll be a bigger presence on ESPN, growing the overall media presence of the former Carolina Panther great.
“Cam Newton is a unique talent who is authentically himself, and that’s a key ingredient for success on First Take,” said David Roberts, EVP, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment at ESPN. “Cam is also an ultimate team player. All of us at ESPN look forward to watching Cam create a strong connection with his teammates and our fans.”
While Sharpe had more media experience than Newton, first working with CBS Sports before moving to Fox to pair with Skip Bayless on “Undisputed”, both former NFL players found great success with their podcast before getting the call from ESPN.
