The tension between Shedeur Sanders and Cam Newton has been brewing, and it reached new heights of awkwardness during a pregame encounter before last Saturday’s college football showdown between UCF and Colorado. What started as a minor rift turned into a very real beef, culminating in a tense and uncomfortable interaction on the field.
Thanks to new video footage, we finally know what really went down between the two star athletes. Cam Newton, the former NFL MVP and Heisman Trophy winner, has strong ties to UCF head coach Gus Malzahn, who was Newton’s head coach during his time at Auburn.
Newton visited Malzahn and the Knights over the weekend as UCF prepared to host Colorado for their first Big 12 game on the East Coast.
However, the pregame drama was set in motion earlier that week when Newton made some controversial remarks about Shedeur Sanders on his podcast. Although Newton expressed his admiration for the Sanders family, particularly for Deion Sanders, he didn’t hold back when talking about Shedeur, Colorado’s star quarterback.
Newton repeatedly mentioned that Shedeur isn’t the most likable player, especially when compared to Travis Hunter Jr., Colorado’s two-way sensation. Newton also questioned what Shedeur had truly accomplished in college to earn the attention he’s receiving.
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These comments didn’t sit well with Shedeur, and they set the stage for the uncomfortable confrontation that followed.
Fast forward to Saturday. As Shedeur Sanders was warming up at UCF’s Bounce House stadium, Newton approached him on the field, seemingly to greet him and break the ice. But it was clear that Sanders wasn’t interested. His cold reception to Newton made it obvious that he hadn’t forgotten the comments made earlier in the week. Newton’s attempt to engage with Sanders was cut short when Sanders snubbed him entirely, creating an awkward moment in front of fans and cameras.
In video footage of the interaction, Sanders can be heard telling Newton that he’s “on some weird s—,” expressing his frustration directly to the former NFL star. The brief exchange revealed the depth of Sanders’ resentment toward Newton after the podcast remarks, and his refusal to engage in any kind of friendly conversation was noticeable.
Interestingly, Cam Newton captured the entire interaction on video, providing his own point of view on what went down. The footage shows that Shedeur’s displeasure was real and pointed—he was not in the mood for any pleasantries. His demeanor remained serious and cold throughout the encounter, making it clear that any kind of reconciliation between the two was off the table.
Travis Hunter, on the other hand, had a much more lighthearted exchange with Newton. Despite being mentioned in the same podcast as Shedeur, Hunter didn’t seem to hold a grudge. The video shows him laughing and joking with Newton, in stark contrast to Sanders, who remained stone-faced and unwilling to engage.
This interaction highlights the growing animosity between Newton and Shedeur Sanders, fueled by public comments and perhaps underlying tensions in the spotlight.
It’s clear that Shedeur felt disrespected by Newton’s remarks and wasn’t ready to let it go, especially in such a public setting. While Travis Hunter was able to laugh off the situation, Shedeur’s cold response suggests that the beef is far from over.
For now, it seems this awkward encounter is just the beginning of a deeper rift between two football stars from different generations, each with their own strong personalities and pride. Whether or not the two will resolve their differences in the future remains to be seen.
