Over the weekend, there was a physical altercation at a 7-on-7 tournament in Atlanta, which was hosted by We Ball Sports. Involved in the brawl was former Carolina Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton. Newton has been actively involved in the youth football community for a considerable amount of time, having established C1N in 2011, an organization that aims to develop young athletes’ football skills by providing opportunities to compete at the highest level through 7v7 tournaments and other events. The individuals seen fighting Newton in the viral video are coaches for TopShelf Performance, also known as TSP, who had previously coached with Newton. Nehemiah Mitchell, a former outside linebacker at Vanderbilt and co-founder of We Ball Sports, provided The Athletic with further details, stating that the altercation was a result of a heated game between C1N and TSP’s under-18 teams, which included a lot of trash talk. The event attracted over 1,500 attendees, with the top under-18 team winning a $5,000 prize and the top under-15 team receiving $1,500. Mitchell confirmed that everyone involved in the scuffle, including Newton, was removed from the event. Following the incident, TSP released a statement on Monday.
TSP has released a statement addressing the recent altercation involving Cam Newton and their coaching staff. The statement confirms that they are taking internal action to resolve the matter and maintain a positive environment for their team and clients. TSP assures their community that such incidents will not occur in the future, and they remain committed to professionalism and integrity while supporting players in the community.
According to TSP’s statement, several of their coaching staff used to work for Newton’s 7-on-7 organization, and tensions arose between the two teams. Two coaches left to form their own team, and during a game on Saturday, Newton allegedly taunted TSP athletes and attempted to choke one of his former coaches, Steph. Another TSP coach, TJ, intervened with a punch, escalating the situation.
TSP maintains that only the two coaches from their team were involved in the altercation, while Newton and a minor from his team fought. The statement alleges that the minor landed a punch on TJ before the Atlanta Police intervened.
