Cam Newton on Colts signing Philip Rivers: Like a

Philip Rivers hasn’t performed in the NFL for a number of years. Neither has Cam Newton.

Rivers is in his mid-40s. Newton is in his mid-30s.

Rivers signed with the Indianapolis Colts this week. Newton didn’t — and he’s taking it considerably personally that the staff didn’t even attain out to him.

“It’s almost like a slap in my face, bro,” Newton said on the latest episode of the “4th&1 with Cam Newton” podcast. “ I ain’t gonna lie.”

Co-host Omari “Penny” Collins identified that NFL groups could not understand Newton is accessible because of his high profile as a podcaster and TV character.

Newton stared at Collins incredulously before shouting his response.

“Did Philip Rivers send any type of sign that he was available?” the common contributor on ESPN’s “First Take” said. “Why you asking me to do something that everybody else didn’t do? I ain’t no sucker. I ain’t no lab rat. Come on, bro.”

Newton added: “People be holding people to a standard that they ain’t even holding everybody else to that standard. And that’s what I don’t like. ‘Well, you ain’t showed that you [are available].’ Have you followed my Snapchat?”

Rivers spent his first 16 NFL seasons with the Chargers and one more with the Indianapolis Colts before retiring after the 2020 season. An eight-time Pro Bowl choice, Rivers ranks in the NFL’s top 10 for passing yards, passing touchdowns and passes accomplished. He is at present a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, although his eligibility for that honor could soon get pushed back.

If Rivers ends up on their energetic roster — a distinct risk with the multitude of quarterback accidents the Colts are dealing with — Rivers gained’t be eligible for the Hall of Fame until 5 years after he retires again.

The signing reunites Rivers with Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen, his onetime quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator with the Chargers. The two males are close mates who are said to converse on the telephone weekly. As coach of St. Michael Catholic High in Fairhope, Ala., Rivers makes use of the same performs and terminology as Steichen.

But, as Newton identified to Collins, “he’s 44 years old, bro.”

Newton, on the other hand, is 36.

Drafted No. 1 general by the Carolina Panthers in 2011, he was the league MVP in 2015 and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl the same yr. His 75 profession dashing touchdowns and 46 profession video games with both passing and dashing touchdowns had been both data for NFL quarterbacks until they had been damaged this season by Buffalo’s Josh Allen.

Newton has not performed since 2021, but he never formally retired.

“I did not,” he said, “and will not because of an opportunity like this.”

Newton speculated that groups is likely to be scared off by his flamboyant character. “They don’t want a circus,” he said.

He also joked that the Colts already have a star participant who wears jersey No. 1 — cornerback Sauce Gardner — and they knew “I gotta get No. 1.”

Newton was sure to state he had nothing personal against Rivers, his “brother from another.” But Newton also made it clear he wouldn’t hesitate to work out for an NFL staff actually in his providers.

“I’m open for business,” he said. “But I wanna be [with] who really want me. If you don’t want me, don’t send flowers.”