Cam Newton believes he can coach the Bengals

Cam Newton is a wearer of many hats. Newton believes he can be a trailblazer in media, he believes he can still quarterback an NFL team, and now he believes he can coach one too.

First Take had a busy Black Monday as they reacted to all the NFL head coaching news. And for Newton, the biggest news may have been a head coach who wasn’t fired.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t looking for a new head coach, opting to retain Zac Taylor despite missing the playoffs for the third straight season. But if the Bengals and owner Mike Brown have a change of heart, it sounds like Cam Newton is willing to throw one of his hats into the ring.

“When you got great players like that, it’s not hard. Trust me. I can go do that, Mr Brown. I can be a coach.” – Cam Newton says he can coach the Bengals pic.twitter.com/n1KxSn5Mth

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2026

“When you got talent like Ja’Marr Chase, when you got talent like a Joe Burrow, when you got talent like a Tee Higgins, those guys don’t really need exceptional coaching,” Newton said on First Take. “It’s about the Jimmys and Joes, not the X’s and O’s now. Come on, when you got great players like that, it’s not hard. Trust me. I can go do that, Mr. Brown. I can be a coach.”

Newton’s confidence in himself as a potential head coach comes less than a month after he declared his desire to be a pioneer for Black quarterbacks in sports media. It also came less than a month after the 36-year-old former quarterback took issue with the Indianapolis Colts bringing Philip Rivers out of retirement without calling him.

You can certainly question his ability to manage egos, but Newton should believe he can coach Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He made the declaration while standing next to someone in Dan Orlovsky who has expressed a real desire to coach an NFL team. And as a former NFL MVP, why wouldn’t Newton believe he’s capable of running a team loaded with offensive talent?

Media member, quarterback, coach, Newton believes he can do it all. NFL teams, however, don’t currently appear to share the same confidence considering the lack of interest coming his way in recent years. And based on their immediate reactions, it doesn’t look like Newton’s First Take counterparts are expecting him to leave for a coaching gig anytime soon either.