CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Former Carolina Panthers star quarterback Cam Newton will be back in the public eye, having signed an agreement to join ESPN.

ESPN said Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, will primarily serve as a commentator on “First Take” with Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim.

The longtime Panther will make his ESPN debut on Friday during First Take’s HBCU roadshow at Tennessee State University.

“Cam Newton’s addition to First Take brings an electrifying presence, enhancing our roster of top-tier personalities,” ESPN executive David Roberts said in a news release. “His dynamic charisma, combined with the high-profile debates alongside Stephen A. Smith, will create compelling, must-watch television for fans.”

Fellow former Panthers Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly are also making their mark over the airwaves. Olsen has won two Sports Emmys, while Kuechly works in the Panthers’ radio broadcast booth and will call select college football games for CBS Sports Network this season.

Newton made headlines in February when he said in an interview with Boardroom that “I’m not a football player no more…I’m a YouTuber.”

The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback last played in the NFL in 2021, when Carolina brought him back for a second stint. He started just five games that year after being signed midseason and then was eventually benched for Sam Darnold.

In the time since his last game, the 2011 No. 1 draft pick has grown his “4th & 1 With Cam Newton” podcast on YouTube so much so that he has claimed to be the “largest YouTuber in NFL history.”

Aside from his 1.51 million YouTube subscribers, Newton has 4.7 million followers on Instagram and nearly 600,000 on TikTok.

Newton finished his Panthers career as the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. He also holds the franchise record for rushing touchdowns, and ranks third in yards.

His 75 rushing scores are the most of any NFL quarterback ever, and his more than 5,600 rushing yards is second all-time.

Related: ‘I’m a YouTuber’: Former Panthers QB Cam Newton says he’s ‘not a football player no more’

Copyright 2024 WBTV. All rights reserved.