Cam Newton highlights why Nico Iamaleava’s father should not make decisions, compares to own story

Cam Newton highlighted why the father of Nico Iamaleava should not make decisions on behalf of his star quarterback son. The former Tennessee QB and camp tried to negotiate a new NIL deal with the Vols but it backfired.

Iamaleava eventually entered the transfer portal and his options are seemingly slim at his current price. Perhaps a team like UCLA, the most likely destination at this point, will take him in at a discount.

Newton implored Iamaleava to play his cards right and to use this as a learning experience. Because as of right now, this situation will follow the QB.

“You cannot compare something that’s governed versus something that’s not governed,” Newton said on 4th and1. “It’s the Wild, Wild, West as far as negotiations and the team that’s desperate will spend a lot of money for whatever. A lot of people may not be desperate. They’ve already filled up their rosters. The time to leave was right after the bowl game … Bro, that ain’t how you do it. Like you Nico Iamaleava, like dog, you a potential Top 10 pick, bro, just, man, look, bro, just play your cards right, bro.” 

In regards to Iamaleava’s father, Newton had some crafty advice. You want advice from those that have been in similar situations.

“This is the word to the athlete, if you are getting advice from somebody who ain’t never been in your situation, bro, man, you gotta cite that,” Newton said. “So you know, when you used to write the papers, and the teachers always say you got to cite the sources. Wikipedia is not a reliable source. You dig what I’m saying. You get advice from your uncle, you getting advice from your girlfriend’s daddy. You getting advice from your partner, you get advice from the pastor, you get advice from the deacon … You should ask the simple question in response, what did you do?” 

Continuing his point about Iamaleava and the quarterback’s camp, Newton talked about his own father. With much respect, Newton knew that his father could give him advice on certain things, but others were out of his ballpark.

“There is not a more influential person in my life than my father, but there are certain things that my father can and cannot advise me on, and that’s just respect,” Newton said. “I’m a multi millionaire due to what my father has instilled in me. My father’s not a multi millionaire. You dig what I’m saying? And I don’t want to disrespect him or the fathers that’s out there. It’s just relatability. It’s tough, but it’s real. You’re taking the advice from a person that doesn’t know what it’s like to be you, and please cite the source. Cite who’s speaking these facts or speaking these discussions to you, because it can cloud you … 

“Just stay who you are, bro. Just stay the course. And that’s what I would tell Nico because it’s unfortunate to have somebody this young, this talented, to have this narrative be with him moving forward.”