Former NFL MVP Cam Newton was laid off by ESPN as part of a wave of summer staffing reductions that hit the network and its newly integrated NFL Network operations this week, per Outkick.
Newton, a rising regular on the network’s flagship debate show “First Take,” had signed a multi-year deal in August 2025 that expanded his role after he first joined as a contributor in October 2024. He frequently appeared alongside Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim, bringing an energetic, polarizing style to discussions of the NFL and college football. He also participated in the show’s HBCU campus roadshows.
According to BSO sources, Newton learned about it on social media before being contacted directly.
His departure comes amid broader cost-cutting and organizational restructuring at ESPN. The cuts follow the network’s acquisition of NFL Network and related assets, a deal that gave the NFL a 10 percent equity stake in ESPN. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro addressed the moves in a company-wide memo, saying the company had “taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future.”
Newton is among several on-air personalities affected. Others include longtime NFL analyst Ryan Clark (whose exit was confirmed Monday during “NFL Live”), Baseball Tonight host and play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech (after 33 years at the network), SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, injury analyst Stephania Bell, NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, and NFL Network analyst Charles Davis. Additional names continue to surface as the process unfolds.
Newton, the 2011 No. 1 overall draft pick out of Auburn, won the Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to a national championship. He spent the bulk of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers, earning NFL MVP honors in 2015 after leading the team to Super Bowl 50. He also played for the New England Patriots in 2020 before wrapping his playing career. After football he built a media presence through podcasts including “4th & 1 with Cam Newton” and other appearances before landing at ESPN.
No public statement from Newton on the layoff was immediately available. ESPN has not issued detailed individual comments beyond Pitaro’s broader memo. The network has conducted multiple rounds of staff reductions in recent years amid rising rights fees, the decline of traditional cable bundles, and the shift toward streaming and direct-to-consumer platforms.
Newton’s relatively short but high-profile ESPN tenure made him a notable name on the list. Industry observers noted the surprise of cutting a personality who had been elevated with a multi-year commitment only the previous year. Other affected talent, particularly those with longer tenures or roles tied to the NFL Network integration, reflect the wider effort to streamline overlapping coverage and control costs after the league media deal.
Further names and details from the layoffs are expected in the coming days as the process continues.
