Ex-Panthers star Steve Smith Sr fires back at Cam Newton over 'locker room of losers' remark

Former Carolina Panthers prima Steve Smith Sr. came to the defence of his erstwhile teammates connected Tuesday aft Cam Newton described the players arsenic "losers" earlier the backmost got there.

The Panthers selected Smith successful the 3rd circular of the 2001 draft. Ten years later, the Panthers recovered their franchise backmost successful Newton with the No. 1 wide pick. Carolina had been to the playoffs 3 times, including making a Super Bowl appearance, earlier Newton was selected.

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Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, #89, and Cam Newton, #1, stock a laughter during the archetypal fractional of an NFL preseason shot crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers connected Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013 successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn, File)

Carolina was 2-14 successful 2010, which landed the squad the No. 1 wide pick. Newton came successful and yet helped amended the squad to part winners. They made Super Bowl 50 – lone to suffer to the Denver Broncos. Smith near the squad aft the 2013 season.

Newton’s "losers" remark came during an "Overtime" podcast interview erstwhile asked what benignant of pressures Heisman Trophy victor Travis Hunter whitethorn look upon entering the league.

"You could perchance beryllium the archetypal pick, but, bro, you person nary mode of impacting the crippled the mode a backmost does," Newton said. "You tin fastener down the No. 1 receiver. You tin marque interaction plays connected discourtesy each you privation but it’s inactive not similar a quarterback. My contented is that, erstwhile I was the archetypal pick, I went into a locker country of losers. Just honest.

"Guys didn’t cognize however to win; guys didn’t cognize however to prepare. They didn’t instrumentality themselves superior to recognize we was 2-14. There was a batch of 2-14 successful the mentality of those guys."

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Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, #89, and Cam Newton, #1, observe Smith's touchdown drawback against the Oakland Raiders during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled successful Charlotte, North Carolina, connected Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn, File)

The remark did not beryllium good with Smith.

"53 antheral locker country - 1 = 52 losers. Wow… breaking quality to 89," helium wrote successful an archetypal station connected X.

"I’ve watched & listened from a acold arsenic U @CameronNewton speech astir @Panthers! None of america are perfect. Yes We were 2-14 earlier you blessed america w ur presence. The mode you person talked astir @panthers lately I’m precise disappointed. I privation u thing but the precise best. I’m done!!!"

One instrumentality pointed retired Smith had been captious of the Panthers successful the past.

"I’ve ne'er backed down from my words," helium said successful response. "However calling the men successful the locker country losers isn’t slander it’s disrespectful! I disliked a batch of things that happened w/ my clip there. But calling men losers naw."

Squabbling implicit the past is acold from what the Panthers enactment needs to perceive from its astir celebrated alumni.

Carolina has not had a winning play since 2017. It was besides the past clip they made the playoffs. Since then, the squad has had 5 caput coaches with 3 interim caput coaches.

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Carolina Panthers backmost Cam Newton, #1, connected the sidelines successful the 2nd 4th against the New Orleans Saints astatine the Caesars Superdome successful New Orleans connected Jan. 2, 2022. (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)

The Panthers were 5-12 successful 2024, an betterment from their 2-15 play successful 2023.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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