Cam Newton on need for NIL guardrails: ‘What are we doing here’

Cam Newton didn’t pull any punches regarding the future of NIL in college football following the Nico Iamaleava drama. It left a bad taste in the former Heisman winner’s mouth, and he wants guardrails added throughout the sport.

While Tennessee may not necessarily think so, Newton thinks Iamaleava’s decision will have a positive effect on college football as a whole. It shined a light on a gigantic issue in the sport, and where adjustments need to be made moving forward.

“I think it’s good, because it’s leading to some type of governing,” Newton stated, via 4th&1 with Cam Newton. Like, what are we doing here? Because if Nico would have been successful at holding out, it would have started — they ain’t having spring ball. You know what I’m saying? These kids have to understand it. I’m always pro athlete, but bro, let’s be pro-realistic. If you are who you think you are, prove it first, and everything else will take care of itself. Don’t try to ask for the money first, and then say, I’m going — no, it don’t work like that.

“And to the point of holding out for the bowl games, as you’re setting these contracts, make it make sense to where they have to play a full season, including the bowl games, or they won’t get their money. We’re living in a contractual — put it in the contract. You don’t get certain money if you don’t play all the games, practices and meetings.”

Evidently, Newton had a major issue with the report of Iamaleava’s team threatening a holdout if they didn’t get a raise in Knoxville. The former top overall pick in the NFL Draft noted some key differences to how the situation would be handled in the NFL versus in college.

“They ask, what’s the difference between being in the league and being in college? In college, they punish you physically. In the league, they punish you financially. That’s the biggest difference,” Newton added. “They ain’t gonna argue with you. They ain’t gonna spat back and forth with you. They ain’t gonna say this, that and the third. Meeting starts at 7:45, you show up at 7:46? We’re going to easily do that direct deposit out of your — no, matter of fact, they ain’t even going to take it out of your account. They’re going to take it out your check before it hit your account. How about that?

“It’s like alimony, child support and all them taxes — we’er going to get us ours, before you get yours you, and how do you do. So, you want to keep on being a rebel? Don’t worry about it. Them cents going to keep adding up, and we’re going to show you that we ain’t here to play with you. You ain’t gonna be here long. Straight up.”

Alas, Cam Newton didn’t bite his tongue regarding NIL. He wants to see change, but whether adjustments are made remain to be seen. One thing is for sure, the Nico Iamaleava case was a bad look for college football as a whole, and there’s plenty of blame to go around throughout the sport.