Cam Newton started a beef with the New England Patriots on First Take, and Stephen A. Smith refused to let Drake Maye end it.
Last week, Newton accused the Patriots of being “fool’s gold” while on First Take. Head coach Mike Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye were both asked about Newton’s assessment of the Patriots during their weekly radio hits on WEEI in Boston.
“I don’t even know what show he’s on,” Maye said on WEEI when asked about Newton. “I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments. So, I just worry about what people in our organization think, and worry about we think and what my teammates think. People are going to have different opinions. I’m just going out there on Sunday and worrying about ourselves.”
Maye’s feeling weren’t hurt by Newton’s comment. Newton’s feelings didn’t seem to be all that hurt by Maye’s response. But Stephen A. Smith took it personally that the 23-year-old Patriots quarterback didn’t know the weekly cast of First Take. Because, how dare he.
“[Drake Maye] is a liar…First Take is the number one morning show..don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying.” – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/kaxxptSMpY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 20, 2025
“He’s also a liar,” Smith ranted about Maye Thursday morning on First Take. “Pardon The Interruption is the number one show on ESPN spanning 20-plus decades (that’s amazing!). First Take is the number one morning show…don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying.”
“How about athletes looking out for athletes?” Smith continued. “The media offers former professional athletes opportunities that corporate America for the most part ain’t doing. But a professional athlete performing because he in his feelings because somebody might have critiqued him or some weak ass reporter or pundit on radio gonna ask the question out of context…they misquote Cam because like Cam said, he was talking about the Patriots, not him. You’re gonna ask the question, well, ask it accurately instead of misrepresenting Cam Newton.”
Newton began the First Take segment by responding to Maye, acknowledging he labeled the Patriots “fool’s gold,” but also claiming it was presented to New England’s quarterback out of context. Smith took that to mean Newton was misquoted on WEEI, which was not the case.
The question was presented to Maye fairly, with the WEEI host saying, “Cam Newton said the Patriots are fool’s gold, that was his words, not mine. Do you hear those things? Do you react to those things?”
Smith’s rebuttal came across as uninformed and like he really was just being sensitive to Maye not naming First Take. The radio host did nothing wrong in posing the question to Maye and Maye did nothing wrong by not knowing Newton was on First Take. But Smith appears to believe May should have praised Newton calling the Patriots “fool’s gold” because it’s an honor to watch former athletes on First Take.
Maye is well-aware of Newton’s football career, previously saying the former Carolina Panthers quarterback was his favorite player growing up. But that doesn’t mean he would have any idea Newton has been on First Take twice a week this NFL season. A lot of people have no idea Newton is a First Take contributor. And Drake Maye is no different than a lot of people.