Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is among the names caught up in ESPN’s latest round of layoffs, according to a report on Tuesday.
Newton had carved out a strong post-playing role at the network, working as a football analyst on both college football and the NFL over the past few years. That gave viewers a former player’s take on the game, something that at times added a different layer to ESPN’s coverage.
His run on ESPN included appearances on “First Take,” where he has co-starred with Stephen A. Smith in recent years. Last season, the network elevated Newton to replace Shannon Sharpe as Smith’s primary Monday co-host during football season, the show’s highest-rated day of the week.
Now, sources say ESPN will search for a permanent replacement for Newton on the Monday editions of the show. Newton had agreed to a new multi-year contract in the Summer of 2025, making the move a notable one in the network’s ongoing shakeup.
Newton is the latest “First Take” co-star to move on from the network, following Sharpe’s departure as well.
The layoffs also included reporters Charles Davis and Tom Pelissero. Both had joined ESPN from NFL Network as part of the merge this past year, and their departures leave ESPN’s NFL coverage taking a hit ahead of the 2026 season.
Outside of ESPN, Newton has also built a successful podcast presence with his YouTube show, 4th & 1 with Cam Newton. For now, that appears to be where his attention will shift until he lands his next opportunity. He likely won’t be out of work for long, with another network a realistic landing spot for year-round football coverage.
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