“I will jump right over into cold, cold water for you,” Justin Bieber might jump into Cold Water for you, but Cam Newton won’t; instead, he’ll throw it on you.

The football world is always ready to designate the next big thing, and Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes QB, the presumed QB1 in the big league too, has been a hot topic. But as the hype builds, so do the critical voices, with Newton leading the charge. The former NFL MVP, never one to pull punches, weighed in on Sanders’ NFL future in the way only Newton can—blunt, biting, and brutally honest. If you’re expecting sugarcoated optimism, Newton’s take will leave you reeling, adding another row in the Sheduer-Cam history.

It all went down on Newton’s hilarious and blunt, 4th and 1 with Cam Newton podcast on January 3, where the ex-Panthers star dissected the Heisman contender’s Alamo Bowl performance like a surgeon with a scalpel. The Buffs’ 36-14 loss to the Cougars wasn’t just another defeat—it was a gut-check moment for Sheduer Sanders, who managed to throw for 208 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions but struggled in key moments. Newton, who had been watching closely all season, zeroed in on what he called Sanders’ missed opportunity. Warming up for the blaster, he started from the start. Remember Shedeur’s NY Giants exclusive pregame cleats? As bold of a statement it was, that caught the world’s attention and certainly Newton’s too…

The host asked, “Recently he [Shedeur] posted before the bowl game…his locker and…he gave a little gesture to the team ‘That I’m going to. You’ll see it in my cleats when I debut’. So in warm-up, he wore these giant…cleats with the New York Giants’ logo on it. But…last Sunday they lost No.1 pick…So the Giants are currently sitting at the number four slot. What do you think about the Giants? Do players ever think the NFL tanks in the front office on purpose?…Is Shedeur helping or hurting himself with the shenanigans?”

Though the retired player, who was picked No.1 in the 2011 NFL Draft, refused to answer the first question, he opined on Sanders’ pre-game shenanigan saying, “Everything about pregame I approve. Everything that happened during the game? I disapprove…I don’t know if he’s going to perform in the combine. I don’t know if he’s going to run…I love the cleats, bro. LOVE IT! But—this ain’t even a word for Shedeur—this is a word for everybody: If you going to talk that talk, make sure you walk that walk.”

“So that’s all I’m saying. I love the show manness of sports…that have stories. You know, certain dances and celebrations and, ‘Hey, they really meant this when they did that.’ It’s like, ‘Wow’. I’m that type of guy. But when you do that [and] y’all don’t even win and we just got to wait till April to see you…” Newton wasn’t just being petty; he was making a larger point about how swagger needs substance to back it up.

Even BYU caught a few strays from the ‘black Sherlock Holmes,’ “It’s BYU!”, Newton in a very sarcastic tone, said, and almost sang a song. Despite BYU’s strong defensive rankings, Newton argued that this was supposed to be a showcase for Sheduer Sanders, a chance to dominate on a national stage. Just for contrast, Newton in his final collegiate game, lead his Auburn Tigers to a National Title win over Oregon.

The former No. 1 pick himself didn’t stop there. He then turned his sharp lens toward the NFL draft process, specifically the notion that teams tank for top picks. With the Giants unexpectedly winning a game late in the season, some speculated that they had ruined their chances to draft Sanders. However, Newton wasn’t having it. “No, they really do suck. I don’t know a team that just says, ‘We gonna lose this one, fellas.’ If that would have been the case, why even practice?” he said, mocking the idea. “You don’t do that. That’s f***** bull****. That’s smoking mirrors!” That’s so true. Do you think Drew Lock wasn’t trying to win just so that they can get the No. 1 Pick for Sanders? The entire premise of tanking undermines the competitive spirit of the game.

“Bro, you may not even be here to make the draft pick,” Super Cam added, pointing out how fleeting and uncertain NFL front offices can be. But soon after, the conversation zeroed in on the issue at hand: How much boasting is too much boasting?

The host asked, “Few weeks back, it’s all [Las Vegas Raiders]. Now it’s the Giants. I mean, next week it might be somebody else. So during this time, does this help or hurt? Like, because obviously you’ve been there…Do you look at who’s number one [and] do you start bragging and boasting, like, ‘Hey, I’m going to this place’?…Would you have worn an Arizona shirt or Carolina shirt coming out?”

This prompted the 35-year-old NFL veteran to make his point clear for one final time. “No. But if my son wanted to do that: ‘Whatever the f—- you want to do son. But you got to walk. [As a] matter of fact, you ain’t even walking no more…you got to stomp. Talk to talk and stomp the stomp’.”

But was Shedeur actually able to stomp? Well, in reality, the Alamo Bowl was a painful reminder that potential alone won’t cut it at the next level. Reacting to the same, the Buffs QB said on his 2Legendary podcast: “It didn’t feel good, bro. We definitely sold out there. That game, we didn’t play our best.” When asked how it felt being coached by Deion Sanders for the last time, he ignored that question and opined, “That’s not really in my thoughts right now. It’s more just the performance out there. That I’ll say is a bummer right now for me personally.”

Having said that, the legendary QB wasn’t dismissing Sanders entirely; he was highlighting the gap between where Sanders is now and where he needs to be if he’s serious about the NFL. It’s the same standard Newton held himself to during his career, and he expects nothing less from the next generation. Although, this isn’t the first time Newton has weighed in on Sanders. Back in October, before Colorado’s game against UCF, Newton offered another blunt critique during warmups. It’s clear that he puts it on him without milking, just because he’s Deion Sanders’ son.

Is Shedeur helping or hurting his draft stock❓👀 New Show Out Now‼️ pic.twitter.com/Q16Ivjf9wu

— 4th&1 with Cam Newton (@4thand1show) January 2, 2025

The 35-year-old sees him as a fellow athlete who carries the weight of massive expectations. He’s been where Shedeur wants to go, and he knows the pitfalls better than most.

Is Shedeur Sanders really ‘Him’?

After Cam Newton’s blunt take on the 22-year-old Senior, Shedeur Sanders with the NFL Draft inching closer, a surprising twist has emerged: This time even NFL scouts are opening up as they aren’t sold on Sanders as a first-round talent. Yep, you read that right.

NFL Network’s, Tom Pelissero dropped this tidbit on The Rich Eisen Show: “I’ve already talked to people within the league who don’t have anything close to a first-round grade on the guy.” That’s gotta sting for Colorado fans who’ve watched Sanders light it up all season. Let’s not forget the jaw-dropping stats: 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. Yet, not everyone is convinced he’s the real deal at the next level.

The skepticism seems to boil down to one big question: will Sanders’ style translate to the NFL? Pelissero didn’t mince words: “The idea that he’s just going to walk in and be the No. 1 pick, that’s probably pushing it.” It’s not a knock-on Sanders’ talent but more of a reality check. While the doubters are raising eyebrows, Cam Newton’s message, harsh as it may seem, is a wake-up call. If Shedeur Sanders can absorb that lesson, he might just prove the doubters wrong—including the one wearing a Superman cape.