Cam Newton didn’t sugarcoat it when he weighed in on Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.’s dismissal from Alabama.
Speaking on “4th & 1,” the Heisman Trophy winner said the situation struck a nerve because he knew Kirkpatrick’s father from playing against him. Newton then turned blunt as he addressed the younger Kirkpatrick directly, tying the episode to accountability and the standards that come with wearing a football scholarship.
“This particular situation kind of hits home because I had the opportunity to play against his dad,” Newton said. “Dre Kirkpatrick, he was one of many great Alabama players.
But I’m saying that because we have to put things into perspective on one side, but also hold people accountable on all sides. This particular individual is 20 years old.
Does he have life figured out already? Absolutely not.
To do one thing. All right.
To do two things stupid? You went from stupid to super stupid.
Already started off on super stupid, so now you know what that turned into? Super duper stupid.
It’s so much stupid going on… Dre Jr., to make a mistake, that’s cool. But to try to take it a step further as if you’re going to win that battle?
It’s more to it than just being a football player when you have a football scholarship. You have to align with certain standards and expectations that those specific brands are expecting you to do.
And that’s what all athletes need to understand. Nepotism or not, who your daddy is or not, whether you’re Chosen Newton or Camidus Newton, it don’t matter.
Don’t nobody care who your daddy is. What you’re doing is wrong, and we cannot bypass that type of behavior… If you no longer can play this game of football that you had dreams and aspirations to play as early as six and seven years old, don’t have it be at the hands of a reckless decision like this.”
Kirkpatrick was suspended and later kicked off the Alabama football team after his arrest on doxing and harassing communication charges. Those charges came from a November arrest, when police said the defensive back allegedly sent a profane message to an officer involved in his previous arrest.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer announced earlier this week that Kirkpatrick had been dismissed from the Crimson Tide.
“After gathering more information on the situation, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. will no longer be a part of our program. He did not live up to the standards and expectations that I have set for this team and our players.”
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