Cam Newton Names Hardest Thing to do in Sports

Cam Newton Names Hardest Thing to do in Sports originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Auburn Tigers legend Cam Newton understands what it takes to lead an offense at the college and professional level.

A debate surfaced on a recent edition of "4th&1 with Cam Newton" after Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts said that hitting a baseball was the hardest thing in sports.

Newton agreed that it was not an easy task but noted how difficult it was to lead a game-winning drive or mount a comeback down multiple scores.

The former Auburn quarterback was referring to the 2010 "Iron Bowl," where the Tigers were down 24-0 in the second quarter. Auburn came back and won 28-27 to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide and remain undefeated.

"Who am I to say that Betts is not right?" Newton pondered. "Or who is he to tell me that my theory ain't right? Have you ever tried to lead an NFL team to a touchdown with 56 seconds left? What does that pressure look like? You ever been down 24 points in a rivalry game, and your whole season is just on your back? ...It is tough to hit a baseball, but it's also tough to score a touchdown."

The 2010 Heisman winner left his mark on the program forever, but revealed one thing he learned from former head coach Gene Chizik that stayed with him. Chizik stated that the most important people in Alabama were the head coaches and starting quarterbacks of the Crimson Tide and Tigers.

Newton was in a debating mood on another recent episode, but regarding which state produces the best athletes. The Atlanta, Georgia, native picked his home state of Georgia.

Newton has experience with the game on the line, leading 20 game-winning drives during his NFL career. The majority of his career was spent with the Carolina Panthers from 2011-2019, and he played for the New England Patriots in 2020.

He returned to the Panthers for his final season in 2021.

Related: Auburn's Odds to Make First-Ever College Football Playoff Revealed

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.