Cam Newton Insists He Won't Retire After Entering Free Agency: 'I Can't Go Out Like That'

Cam Newton isn't ready to leave the field just yet.

The athlete, now a pending free agent, recently appeared on the I Am Athlete podcast alongside former NFL players Chad Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Fred Taylor, where he discussed his future in the NFL and his thoughts on retirement.

After spending his career with the Carolina Panthers, Newton — a 10-year NFL veteran — joined the New England Patriots for the 2020-2021 season. The Patriots are expected to move on from Newton following a less-than-stellar season, according to ESPN, and he has yet to announce an agreement with another team.

While there have been rumors of Newton's retirement, the athlete was quick to shut them down during the podcast.

"Hell no," Newton said of being done with the sport. "I can't go out like that. I hear all of that talk."

"My pride won't allow me to do it," he continued. "There aren't 32 guys better than me."

The 31-year-old quarterback also expressed interest in resigning with the Patriots, even if it's only for another year.

Asked about his hopes of returning to the New England team, Newton said, "Yes. Hell yes."

"I'm getting tired of changing," he explained. "I'm at the point in my career where I know way more than I knew last year."

The NFL player also made headlines this week after a high school football player was filmed taunting him during a recent tournament.

Newton was hosting a football camp on Sunday when Jseth Owens of Perkiomen Valley High School in Pennsylvania began mocking him about being a free agent this offseason, Sports Illustrated reported.

After the tournament, Newton posted a lengthy message on his Instagram page that included footage of him speaking with Owens after the altercation.

"People often forget as athletes that are often seen on TV — loved by most, hated by some — we are real dads, real friends, real brothers, real sons, real human beings," Newton wrote. "With that being said, when I attend tournaments all across the country with my all-star team, I have given my time, my energy and my expertise to these kids coming into our program for over 11 years and that is not what people want to hear or even want to see."

"People want to see me arguing with another young man and to see me 'get in my feelings.' But the truth is this, I impact kids' lives in a positive way," he said. "Make no mistake about it, I allow kids to realize their 'out' by using their football talents to get them to the next level and in most cases out of the hood."

Owens later issued an apology to Newton in a statement posted via his Twitter account.

"First & for most [sic] I want to express my deepest apologies to Cam Newton, my entire org, & my coaches for my actions at the 7v7 tournament this past weekend," Owens wrote in part. "I did not intend for it to get as far as it did! First I would like to start off by saying my parents never taught me to [be] disrespectful."

Owens continued, "As a football player I let my competitive side get the best of me & it was a huge miscommunication. It was in the midst of the moment & I realize now how a lot of you took it as disrespect."

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