A discussion regarding Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews ducking the media on Thursday’s episode of First Take took an unexpected turn with Cam Newton referencing the ongoing workplace misconduct lawsuit at Fox Sports.
Newton’s comment came as he mounted a defense for Andrews, claiming that the media holds athletes to a different standard than everyone else. Initially referencing politics and the entertainment industry, the 2015 NFL MVP stated his belief that athletes are the only people expected to face the media immediately after making mistakes.
“We haven’t been holding people to the same fire,” Newton said. “So Mark Andrews, it’s OK, bro. You ain’t gotta talk to nobody. Because at other networks, there’s lawsuits that’s been out. We ain’t heard nobody say nothing about that.”
“What are you talking about?” Smith interjected, clearly caught off guard by the reference.
“When there’s a Fox report that comes out, and we haven’t heard anybody speak about anything or make any type of public announcement, nobody has held Fox to that same thing,” the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner continued. “So why are we talking about making a big fuss about Mark Andrews if you’re not going to keep that same energy across the board? That’s what I’m saying.”
During a discussion on ‘First Take’ about Mark Andrews ducking the media, Cam Newton referenced the Fox Sports workplace misconduct lawsuit.
“When there’s a Fox report that comes out and we haven’t heard anybody speak about anything or make any type of public announcement,… pic.twitter.com/LbeqRpg7CD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 23, 2025
For the uninitiated, Newton was referring to the bombshell Fox Sports lawsuit involving VP of Content Charlie Dixon, former star Skip Bayless and current host Joy Taylor.
In the lawsuit, a former Fox Sports hairstylist named Noushin Faraji alleges that Bayless offered $1.5 million for sex and gave her “lingering hugs and kisses on the cheek while putting his body against hers and pressing against her breasts. She also claims that Dixon touched her inappropriately at a party and that Taylor used sexual relationships with Dixon and co-host Emmanuel Acho to advance her career, among other accusations.
To Newton’s point, neither Dixon, Taylor nor Bayless have publicly commented on the lawsuit, with Taylor remaining in her current role hosting FS1’s Speak. Meanwhile, Fox offered the following comment to Front Office Sports, which broke the initial news of the lawsuit: “We take these allegations seriously and have no further comment at this time given this pending litigation.”
As fate would have it, Acho recently commented on Andrews evading the media following his crucial fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the Ravens’ loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round on Sunday. Unlike Newton, the former NFL linebacker took the Pro Bowl tight end to task for ducking the media, claiming that he owed it to the fans to answer for his on-field mistakes publicly.
It’s unclear whether Newton’s comment on Thursday was intended to be a response to Acho’s stance or if it’s merely a coincidence that he referenced the lawsuit on ESPN airwaves a day later.
Newton’s argument has merit; one could argue whether athletes are, in fact, held to a different standard than other public figures. However, the comparison to Fox Sports’ lawsuit ultimately falls flat, as there’s a difference between being expected to comment on a dropped pass and pending litigation.