Lamar Jackson made one of the greatest decisions of his professional career when he hired his mother, Felicia Jones, as his agent to guide his journey in the NFL. But their relationship was never going to be like a traditional player-agent dynamic. Beyond negotiating contracts, Felicia plays a pivotal role in keeping Lamar grounded.
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She makes sure that his success doesn’t blind him to the need for continuous improvement. In fact, after a tough loss to the Steelers, she didn’t hesitate to berate him, pointing out the mistakes he made and reminding him of the work still to be done. Cam Newton admired Lamar’s mom for keeping it real and standing on business.
In the latest episode of the 4th & 1 podcast, Newton reflected on Jackson’s recent press conference, where the star quarterback revealed that his mother, Felicia Jones, had cussed at him for failing to take advantage of several clear running opportunities during a game. Newton expressed his admiration for Felicia, describing the two-time MVP’s mother as “a strong Black woman.”
“There is one specific figure that always seem to get mentioned with his counsel. It stops and starts with his mom. Strong black woman. The person I admire. Mama means business. And every single athlete, famous person needs that person. I call them the deflator.”
Newton highlighted how Felicia plays a crucial role in Lamar’s success, serving as both his best counsel and his anchor amidst the spotlight. She ensures that Lamar remains grounded, unafraid to pull him back to reality when necessary. As Newton put it, “The buck stops with her.”
Despite being a 2-time MVP and being on the course for his third, Jackson gets a lot of criticism from many sources. But Cam believes he should just ignore that and focus on being the best version of himself.
Cam Newton dispenses a valuable piece of advice for Lamar Jackson
Calling Lamar Jackson the greatest dual-threat quarterback to ever step on the gridiron, Cam Newton praised the two-time MVP for his unique skills, emphasizing that Lamar should take pride in his abilities. Newton pointed out that Jackson can do things no one else can, and he should see his versatility as a strength, not a weakness.
He noted that criticism often comes from people who lack the qualifications to judge, saying, “Most of the people with platforms who criticize Lamar’s game have never stepped on the field or played the position. Yet they feel entitled to dispense opinions simply because they have a platform.”
Echoing a sentiment shared by Lamar’s mother, Felicia Jones, Newton urged Jackson to remain true to himself and continue playing the game his way. While he acknowledged Lamar’s responsibility to involve his teammates, Newton stressed the importance of staying authentic and leaning into his strengths to elevate his game.
“ Do not allow other people and it’s easy for other people to critique the game they didn’t even play. His mom can agree to this- Lamar, be you and do you because you know that you have to involve other people into the game, bro you got something that lot of people wished they have.”
Lamar like many black QBs has been constantly criticized for not being “quarterbacky enough”. The same old trope still revolves around them, despite continuing to prove that they can do it all.
