Former NFL MVP Cam Newton has responded to a viral pre-game handshake between New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The interaction, which occurred before last week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, saw Diggs conclude a unique handshake by performing Newton’s iconic “Superman” taunt.
In the video, Maye shook his head in apparent disapproval of the gesture. The teammates performed the handshake a second time, with Diggs using a different taunt that earned a nod of approval from the quarterback.
Speaking on his show, 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, the former quarterback dismissed any notion of being offended. “Do I feel a certain type of way that Stefon Diggs and Drake Maye came up with a pretty unique handshake that some would say is shunning the Superman? No, I don’t. It’s all entertainment, baby,” Newton said.
He accused the media of manipulating the narrative and clarified that he holds no ill will toward the Patriots quarterback. “My challenge isn’t towards Drake Maye… I respect what you got going on,” Newton explained, adding that his role as a media member requires him to cover the sport analytically, not to create rivalries.
The handshake gained widespread attention due to Newton’s recent comments on ESPN’s First Take, where he described the Patriots’ successful season as “fool’s gold.” When asked about the critique during an appearance on WEEI Afternoons, Maye downplayed it, claiming he was unaware of the show where Newton made the remarks and shifting the focus back to the team.
Maye’s response prompted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to publicly call him a “liar.” After facing backlash, Smith recently clarified that his accusation was made in jest.
“To Mr. Drake Maye and his family, you want an apology? Fine. Come on, man. I was playing around,” Smith said on his own show. “I wasn’t playing around about my take, but in terms of you lying when you said that you don’t even know where Cam Newton is, I didn’t believe that, but it was no big deal.”
