ESPN’s First Take was broadcasting live from Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, promoting the 2025 Magic City Classic presented by Amazon, and Cam Newton provided a moment sports fans are unlikely to forget.

The scene unfolded during a segment where the Alabama State and Alabama A&M mascots raced in a 40-yard dash. Following the Alabama State Hornet mascot’s victory, Newton joined the celebration on the field. The seemingly harmless fun took an unexpected turn when the Alabama A&M Bulldog mascot became tangled up with Newton. Newton oddly slapped the mascot, and they started shoving a little bit.

As Newton bent down—his hat having been knocked off—the Bulldog mascot appeared to lean in, possibly to assist or play up the interaction. Newton quickly reacted by pushing the mascot away. The Bulldog then approached Newton again, and Newton repeatedly told the mascot, “Stop playing with me,” while appearing on guard as the mascot approached him.

The entire confrontation looked entirely unstaged and unplanned, immediately following which, Stephen A. Smith and ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark returned to the desk to discuss another topic alongside Newton without much mention of what occurred. The video instantly circulated across social media, quickly moving beyond HBCU sports circles and becoming a viral national headline.

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This isn't the first time Cam Newton has gone viral for a physical, high-tension encounter. In earlt 2024, Newton defended himself against several individuals who attempted to start an altercation with him while he was reportedly breaking up a fight at his 7-on-7 event.

Reporting by USA Today indicated that the fight between Newton and the two other men occurred after Newton allegedly taunted Stephen Brown and T.J. Brown of Top Shelf Performance, men who reportedly worked for Newton's program. Stephen Brown later expressed regret for the altercation, saying in a quote obtained by USA Today Sports, “I was wrong for letting Cam get in my head.”

Newton also publicly apologized for his involvement in comments following the incident.

The Magic City Classic between Alabama State and Alabama A&M is set to kick off from Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., with the game broadcast on ESPN+.