Former NFL MVP and host of the 4th & 1 podcast Cam Newton is set to join Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe on the campus of Tennessee State University on Friday's edition of First Take. The popular ESPN morning show is continuing it's most recent HBCU tour in the Land of Golden Sunshine as the Tigers gear up to face OVC-Big South opponent Easter Illinois.

Smith announced Newton's inclusion on the latest stop of the tour on Wednesday's episode of First Take.

Newton's appearance alongside Smith and Shannon Sharpe at Tennessee State is interesting, as the former Carolina Panthers star said on his podcast that he wanted to go on an HBCU tour this year, inspired by Pat McAfee's recent live remote show from Ireland earlier this season.

The concept originated from McAfee's live episode of The Pat McAfee Show, which was broadcast from an Irish pub during Week Zero of the college football season. Newton, inspired by McAfee's creative approach, intends to replicate that energy in the U.S. by filming from an HBCU campus.

“This year I want to go to an HBCU and shoot it live,” Newton shared enthusiastically on his podcast. “Everybody in my family went to an HBCU besides me. I had the experience to go to North Carolina Central. I had the experience to go to Howard. Just to catch the experience. But what if we just went to shoot ‘4th and 1′.”

Newton has a deep connection to HBCUs. His brother, Caylin Newton, attended Howard University, where he played a pivotal role in one of the biggest upsets in college football history when Howard defeated UNLV 43-40. Cam himself was present at the 2023 Cricket Celebration Bowl, which featured Florida A&M and Howard University, taking pictures with fans on the sidelines.

He also most recently appeared in the Atlanta University Center alongside Ebony Magazine and Wells Fargo to do a special episode of his Funky Friday podcast specifically talking about financial literacy, aimed directly at empowering students with personal finance tips. His Tennessee State appearance is the latest embracing of HBCU culture and it is sure to be an entertaining experience.