It's still funny. Cam Newton is laughing off his latest viral moment. The former NFL MVP and current ESPN personality recently addressed the clip of his on-field run-in with the Alabama A&M mascot, saying “everything was all playful,” per TheSportsRush.

At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Newton’s size and presence are usually enough to stop any kind of challenge before it starts, but Butch the Bulldog, Alabama A&M’s mascot, wasn’t backing down. The lighthearted scuffle took place during a promotional appearance for the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. After the mascots competed in a race, Newton joined the winning side to celebrate. Butch, however, took exception, taking a playful swipe at Newton’s hat before the two briefly tangled.

“It didn’t look like it was playful,” Newton admitted on his 4th & 1 podcast, “but everything was all in good fun.” He added that the short clip circulating online didn’t tell the whole story. “If people really wanted to dig deep, they could’ve dug deeper in finding the other clip, but that was the only clip you saw. What am I gonna do? I’m gonna let it air out.”

Newton Reflects on the Lesson Behind the Meme

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While Newton found humor in becoming a meme, he also recognized the moment as a reminder of his public life. “I’m officially a meme now, I’ve made it,” he joked, before sharing the lesson his father, Cecil, once taught him. “Son, you can be on top of the world. The next day, the world’s gonna be on top of you.”

Newton explained that the encounter wasn’t tense despite how it appeared online. “Everything was playful,” he reiterated. “It just didn’t look like it was playful.”

The First Take analyst was in Birmingham as part of ESPN’s coverage of the Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State. While the brief scuffle turned into a viral talking point, Newton used the moment to reflect on perception, attention, and how quickly the internet turns fun into frenzy.

He’s no stranger to the spotlight or to viral moments, but this time, the reaction was more laughter than controversy.