Tom Cruise. Daniel Craig. Jason Statham. These are the types of guys you expect to see making jumps onto moving helicopters when you turn on your TV. Instead, Fox viewers watched former pro football player Cam Newton accomplish the feat on their reality show Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
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The show, which wrapped its third season on February 5, puts celebrities through grueling situations and harsh conditions that replicate the real-life Special Forces selection process. Season three featured Newton alongside fellow NFL alum Golden Tate as well as 14 other B- and C-list celebrities (including Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole).
The most notable stunt of the season, no doubt, was a jaw-dropping leap from a moving speedboat into a moving helicopter that contestants were tasked with completing. It was literally a scene straight out of a James Bond or Fast & Furious movie. And Newton, who was the 9th contestant to take the plunge, believes the producers made his jump just a tad more difficult.
“There’s a moment in the edit that people saw where I had hesitation. Because my hesitation was, ‘Yo, ya’ll gonna come a little closer?’ Because I seen eight people go before me, and I know that they didn’t jump this far!”
However, Newton didn’t let that faze him. He gathered all the courage and power in his 6’5″, 245-pound body and completed the jump.
“So I’m like, ‘Hey, bring that motherf***** in close!’ They were like, ‘No! Go, go, go, go, go!’ And I seen the dude that’s in the helicopter like ‘Come on! Go!’ And that’s when the rebelliousness in me was like, ‘F*** it.'”
He went on to make it to the 10th and final episode of the grueling process, only to be disqualified. Just two contestants, Brody Jenner and Kayla Nicole, passed the entire 10-episode course.
Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones, who was also a featured contestant but medically withdrew in episode 3, discussed that part of the show with Newton. She believed the added pressure on Newton was a deliberate move by the Special Forces representatives to draw out the aggression they wanted from him. It also made for good TV.
Online comment sections are often a breeding ground for light-hearted banter or negativity. However, Newton and Jones discussing such a unique experience drew nothing but support.
NFL fans applaud Cam Newton for his jaw-dropping jump from a moving speedboat to a helicopter pic.twitter.com/z6pGF3lCEy
— Depressed Eagles Fan (@nfl_rocky) February 15, 2025
The reality show is just one of many things Cam Newton has going for himself since his last NFL stint in 2021. While he hasn’t officially retired from the league, he’s clearly moved on to other ventures.
On top of Special Forces, Newton is also a regular pundit alongside Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take, the biggest sports talk show on the market. He also hosts two podcasts, 4th and 1 with Cam Newton, and Funky Friday with Cam Newton.
