Stephen A. Smith torches Tua Tagovailoa for ‘asinine’ response to Cam Newton

Stephen A. Smith saw Tua Tagovailoa attempt to hit Cam Newton with a page out of Ryan Clark’s playbook, and he wasn’t having it.

Last week on First Take, Newton noted Tagovailoa is making more money than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford and Jayden Daniels, compounding his point by saying “more money, more expectations.” Despite being justly criticized considering his substandard play this season, Tagovailoa fired back at Newton during a recent press conference, saying, “I want to see anybody on the streets come and play quarterback then… it is easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it that way.”

Friday morning, Newton was back on First Take and had the chance to respond, but before he could fire back, Stephen A. Smith made the argument for him.

“When you have paid pressure, I witnessed that, similar to me in Carolina…so, for me to see where he is now, makes me feel like, ‘Hey, bro, I get where you at.'” – Cam Newton pic.twitter.com/iEuLrMso4H

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 26, 2025

“I didn’t forget the fact that you led the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl berth. I didn’t forget the fact that you were a NFL league MVP, which he has never been. Why is he talking about you like you’re me?” Smith asked.

“Certain professional athletes get so caught up in their feelings, that their ignorance comes oozing out… If Tua has an issue with what you’re saying, then breakdown and critique what you’re saying as opposed to going to a fallback that’s reserved for journalists and pundits and commentators. You played! You starred! At that position! And he’s acting like you never did this before. A clicker? He’s going to bring that up when he’s talking about, you? That is the most asinine comment he could have come out. It shows that he’s caught up in his feeling.”

Earlier this month, Ryan Clark drew backlash after he called out Peter Schrager for attempting to chime in on Get Up with his “non-player” point of view. But Smith wasn’t going to let Tagovailoa attempt to criticize Newton, who played, with the same defense Clark used against Schrager.

Newton could have similarly touted his career accolades as a rebuttal, which everyone agrees surpass what Tagovailoa has on his resume. But instead, he seemed empathetic.

“I ain’t trying to be weird or anything like that. But I’m having a hard time believing that he was referring to me in reference of the clicker,” Newton said. “I just think he was talking in general. I do understand this though. As a player, there’s two different pressures. There’s pressure to get paid…and then there’s also this pressure that we’re seeing Tua faced with right now. Paid pressure. When you have paid pressure, I witnessed that, similar to me in Carolina…so, for me to see where he is now, makes me feel like, ‘Hey, bro, I get where you at.’”

Newton easily could have relished the opportunity to keep his name in the news by continuing this battle with Tagovailoa. And no one would have blamed Newton for stroking his own ego by touting his achievements on the field. But credit Newton for taking a more relatable and compassionate approach.