NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton made headlines Sunday after footage of a brawl that broke out during a 7-on-7 football tournament in Atlanta was leaked on social media.
Two people involved in the altercation, coaches TJ and Steph Brown, said Newton’s actions throughout the weekend ultimately led to a physical skirmish that started with TJ first grabbing Steph before throwing a punch. Ta.
“It should never have happened like that,” TJ told FOX News Digital on Monday.
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Top shelf performance football coach TJ Brown spoke to Fox News Digital about his fight with former NFL MVP Cam Newton. (TJ Brown)
Unfortunately for TJ and Steph, who run the Top Shelf Performance (TSP) 7-on-7 team and provide training for wide receivers at all levels, this situation has been going bad not just this weekend, but for quite some time. It was seen that there was.
They will be joining Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft who won league MVP with the Carolina Panthers in 2015, and T.J. Head, one of Newton’s “C1N” 7-on-7 teams in 2020. Since being appointed as coach, we have built a relationship. . Steph eventually joined the team after coaching college ball, becoming Newton’s wide receivers coach and part of the offensive support staff.
Tensions within the organization rose, especially when T.J.’s team defeated a team coached by Newton. In 2022, TJ and Steph decided to break away from his C1N and form their own 7v7 team, which became TSP.
NFL MVP Cam Newton appears to get into a brawl during a 7-on-7 football game.
The first We Ball Sports 7-on-7 tournament was held in Atlanta over the weekend, with both organizations competing, but when they pitted the 18U teams against each other on Saturday, organizers were unsure what they were playing. TJ felt that he understood exactly what he was trying to do.
“First of all, as an organizer, we weren’t even supposed to play against Cam. They were on the complete opposite side of the standings,” TJ said.
TJ and Steph recalled that Newton’s taunts began before the game even started. Regardless of the sport, it’s nothing new for teams to share a few words before taking to the field for a game. But they felt it was personal.
“When he’s warming up, as you can see in most of the videos, Cam is chanting something like ‘Ayo!’ So he yelled it out on the sideline, and then he said to them, ‘Hey, guys, go out there and do that for them, too,'” TJ explained. “Then all the players ran up to us and were like, ‘Yay!'” I’ll tell you what, he said a lot of our players don’t touch their own players. I know, and some of them are cool. [Sports] Folks, they’re recording it. All I said to the camera was, “This time when you take him down, don’t delete the film.” Because the last time I beat him, the last three times, I suddenly ran out of film. “Oh, we didn’t record anything. We took pictures.”
TSP ultimately won against C1N on Saturday, but things started to go from bad to worse on Sunday, starting with an exchange TJ had with Newton in the parking lot.
Football coach Steph Brown got into an argument with former NFL MVP Cam Newton during a 7-on-7 football tournament. (Steph Brown)
“Sunday comes and I’m walking through the parking lot to the field,” he said. “Cam jumped out of the car and yelled, ‘Hey, I’m sorry, I’m off work today. What do you want to bet on today? What do you want to bet on?’ I said, ‘I’m not going to bet on you, brother. I’ve already bet on you. I’m like, “I’ve won three or four times. You have to beat me first.” He likes, “What to bet on? I have a lot of money. I’ll never run out of money.” Then I said to him, “That’s your problem. All you care about is money. You think money is everything. You can’t buy me.” Ta. And I leave. ”
Newton’s team started playing in a series of games on Sunday, but TJ pointed out that he was mocking TSP even though they were not their opponents in the game. When it was TSP’s turn to start the game, Newton was at the top of the stairs (as seen in the game video), yelling profanities at the TSP coaches and players on the field.
“Maybe three minutes into the game, he was sitting on top with all the kids under the tent screaming at us,” TJ said. “‘Hey, I know that game. It’s mine. I taught you everything you guys know. I’m your daddy. I made you guys. .I’m the reason you guys are all going on.” ‘He’s just shouting things like this. ”
One anonymous parent who was present at Sunday’s altercation confirmed to Fox News Digital that Newton was mocking the parents on the field.
Steph went to see Newton after the game to talk about what was being said, and that’s when things started to escalate. TJ was walking up the long stairs. The video showed Newton grabbing Steph’s jacket after the face-to-face exchange of words.
TJ jumped in and threw a punch at Newton, but Newton grabbed him and the fight went to the fence.
Cam Newton is seen during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 – Week 3 in Atlanta on April 30, 2022. (Brett Davis/Fan Controlled Football/Getty Images)
“If you were walking up the stairs and you saw a 6-foot-6-inch guy grab your brother and try to throw him down the stairs, you would intervene,” TJ said. Who are you, it’s more a punch, it’s more a push, it’s more a grab him. You’re going to do something. So at that point, if Cam had a hand on another adult, there would be something going on behind the scenes.
“If you ask anyone about me, I’m not confrontational, I’m not loud, I don’t get mad at people, I don’t argue, I don’t fight, I don’t do anything.” That funny thing. That’s not me. ”
Atlanta police and others were involved in calming the situation. Steph, TJ, and Newton were ordered to leave the premises, but were not arrested or charged.
TSP coaches felt there was a lack of accountability not only from Newton but also from the event organizers. Although it has never escalated into a fight, Newton has had some close calls, including a scuffle with an event photographer at a 7-on-7 tournament in Miami earlier this month.
“This is typical Cam Newton behavior in a 7-on-7 situation,” T.J. said. “But yesterday was a little bit worse. You can ask people in his organization. Cam never acts like that. I don’t think he talked like crazy to his parents. I’ve seen him talking like crazy to some kids because everyone’s trying to make it work.” They’re like, “Oh, they’re just disrespecting Cam.” That seems to be the case. No, Cam also disrespects people.
“He needs to understand that we are human beings. No one will allow you to be disrespectful or talk funny to them. How do I brush it off? I know, but not everyone does.”
Former NFL and Auburn quarterback Cam Newton throws a pass during the Auburn Pro Day on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Both TJ and Steph noted that they did not like how they acted in this situation, as they had good relationships with players and others on the C1N side.
“Sorry, C1N players. This is what your big brothers are telling you,” TJ said. “Many of you know us personally and we apologize for putting you in that situation. It should never have happened. We love you and We love you all, even the coaches and some of the people in the organization. we still have a relationship. ”
Steph continued, “I’m disappointed in myself. I gave Cam a chance and enjoyed what he was doing, but it was never done with malice or to put him in danger. My height is 5 feet 9 inches,” he added. But I stand on what I stand on. I’ll say whatever I want to say. There’s no need to make a fuss. But the reason I was going there was to tell him, “Cam, you’re not going to disrespect our organization, you’re not going to disrespect our kids and our parents here.” . You are bigger than that. ”
The once-good relationship now appears to have been torn apart, but TSP hopes that Newton and C1N’s differences can be reconciled soon.
“We have to try harder as men,” Steph said. “We’re black men. We should do better. Cam, I don’t care how much money you get, this or that. But who do you Don’t even touch me…I see you as a brother.” You let me [something] Soccer doesn’t come in between. ”
Cam Newton attends the 2022 Funcho Day Celebrity Football Game during Fan Controlled Football Season v2.0 Week 3 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta on April 30, 2022. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
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“It’s not too late to understand this,” TJ said. “At the end of the day, it’s about these kids. He has kids on his team that I train and coach. We have kids on our team that he knows. There are kids on his team who know some of the players and have played with them.”It’s with some of the players on his team in high school.Every time that happens, we realize this.” We need to because now it’s about these kids and their relationships.”
Newton and C1N did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the altercation.
