“He Went to His Own Beat”: Julian Edelman Reflects on Cam Newton’s 4:30 AM Workouts During COVID Year

Steve Smith Sr. was Cam Newton’s teammate from 2011-13. Whereas Julian Edelman spent just six games alongside the stylish QB in 2020. Even though Julian’s experience pales in comparison to Smith Sr.’s, both men know Newton is one-of-a-kind.

Edelman hosted Smith Sr. on this week’s Games With Names podcast. He reflected on his brief time playing with Newton, saying the 2015 MVP “worked his [tail] off” and had a unique personality.

“He went to his own beat… it was different because it was COVID, so I only got him for the COVID year. He’d be there at 4:30 in the morning on the treadmill, and like doing his thing… then he would do some crazy a** shit that would make you laugh… I had never been around that. It was just different. But Cam was a great dude.”

Smith Sr. agreed Newton was a tremendous worker. However, he and Newton didn’t get along for most of their tenure together. And their poor relationship actually led to the end of Smith Sr.’s time in Carolina.

Cam Newton and Steve Smith Sr. were at “different places” in their career

Newton joined the Panthers as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. He was fresh off a Heisman Trophy and college football championship when he entered Carolina’s locker room. Smith Sr., a grizzled veteran preparing for his 11th season, was coming his worst full season since his 2001 rookie campaign.

He was eager to show that the Panthers’ abysmal situation caused his 2010 downswing. But more than that, he wanted to get back to the playoffs. His obsession with winning consumed him.

“I was not about anything other than ball. I can care less… I really try to not really talk much about it because… looking back at how I was, and looking back at where I was, man I wanted to win… I was so concerned about winning, I didn’t really care about all that other stuff. That other stuff, to me, was irrelevant. And I was frustrated.”

Smith Sr.’s desire to win impacted his relationship with Newton. He couldn’t afford to wait for his rookie signal-caller to figure things out. He needed him to play at a high level immediately, and to lead Carolina to victories. Otherwise, he was just wasting away some of the last years of his football life.

“I knew that my time was coming up… when Cam got there, I was so burnt out… I was such a complainer about not winning that I did not have patience for all that other stuff. I didn’t have patience for him to develop. I was 30-something… it was very complicated, and it was a loaded situation.”

Smith Sr. eventually left the Panthers, spending the final three seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He sounded remorseful about his relationship with Newton on the podcast and has expressed similar feelings in the past.

Newton, for his part, doesn’t seem to harbor ill will toward Smith Sr. over their clashes. The QB, with more life experience under his belt, appeared to understand where Smith Sr. was coming from. Newton may not have agreed with how everything was handled, but he at least understood why Smith acted in such a fashion.

The two have mended fences to a degree since then. Back in 2018, they interacted in a funny fantasy football video involving rookie wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Smith Sr. and Newton will likely never be more than casual acquaintances. But now that both their playing days are behind them, they can have a mutual appreciation for all they accomplished, rather than disdain for their three years together. And that, in the end, might be the biggest win of all.