Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has always been unapologetically himself both on and off the field. But when it comes to marriage, the father of nine is playing on a whole different playbook.
Who Fits Cam Newton's Criteria for a Life Partner?
Who Fits Cam Newton’s Criteria for a Life Partner? (Image Via Instagram/@cam)
Despite building a complex family with three different women, Newton explained why he’s waiting for the right woman who can see past the cameras and the celebrity to find the real Cameron.
Cam Newton Opens Up About His Marriage Plans
During a recent episode of BET’s “106 & Sports,” Newton opened up about why he’s still riding solo while Chad Ochocinco gears up for his 2026 wedding.
The conversation kicked off sarcastically when the ex-Panthers’ signal-caller spotted a ring on Ochocinco’s finger and asked if it was a wedding band. Ochocinco replied he’s wearing it now to “practice” for game day.
When Ash Nicole asked if Ochocinco’s upcoming wedding might inspire Newton to do the same, maybe even a dual ceremony? The former Panthers got quiet for a moment.
Newton said people see different sides of him. The “Funky Friday” Cam, the football player, and Cameron, what his mother calls him.
“When you’re ‘Funky Friday’ Cam, that’s a different person,” hesaid. “But when I’m just Cam, or to my mom when I’m Cameron, that’s a different person. I want someone who can tell the difference.”
“Who’s who?” Ochocinco asked.
“The one who can do that. That’s the one I’ll marry,” Newton said.
His fans can debate whether this is an idle statement or not. The former Panthers star now has nine children — four with his ex-girlfriend Kia Proctor, plus her daughter Shakira from a previous relationship.
In mid-2019, he fathered a son with Instagram model LaReina Shaw, just months before his fourth child with Proctor was born. Then in 2024, he had a daughter with comedian Jasmin Brown, and most recently, the couplewelcomed a son to the family, who is their second child together.
The 36-year-old has seven biological children and raises two from his partners’ past relationships as his own. That kind of family structure takes work, and Newton knows it, which is why he’s not rushing to the altar without being damn sure.
Who Fits Cam Newton’s Criteria for a Life Partner?
Newton’s hesitation about marriage isn’t just talk. Earlier this year, he had a heated back-and-forth with psychologist Cheyenne Bryant who accused him of “selfishly creating broken families.”
Instead of brushing it off, Newton acknowledged some of her criticism and explained his outlook. “My desire to get married is lower than my fear of divorce,” hesaid. “I’m taking my time. Because when I do it, I want it to be right.”
There is a hidden fear in his words that isn’t actually baseless and given his history, it’s understandable. His past relationships haven’t lasted, and he’s living with the consequences.
The timing of this revelation is quite telling. In 2019, a midfoot sprain sidelined him and kicked off his rough stretch both on and off the field.
The first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft bounced from Carolina to New England, then back to Carolina again. His 2021 return to the Panthers didn’t match his Hall of Fame level either.
After that season, the cleats came off for good. In October 2024, Newton made the most precious move by joining ESPN as a football commentator.
Now he’s focusing on building a post-football life, one that includes fatherhood, broadcasting, and eventually, if he finds the right person, marriage.