If he were wearing a New York Giants uniform, Cam Newton wouldn’t exactly sound like someone who’d go to war for John Harbaugh.
Speaking on his “4th&1” podcast, the former NFL MVP tore into Harbaugh for a recent speech the latter made earlier this offseason. Harbaugh went viral for repeatedly screaming “New York Giants” in hopes of motivating the players and staff, whose responses failed to meet his intended decibel level.
“Harbaugh, take your behind back to Baltimore,” Newton remarked.
“These are professionals,” Newton continued. “We want the vision. We want the mission. What are we going to be known for from our leader as a coach? What are we going to be known for? This ain’t about those New York Giants, huh?”
Tell us how you really feel, Cam.
Does Cam Newton have a point about John Harbaugh’s leadership approach?
Newton’s response to Harbaugh might seem callous, though he’s long had a reputation as an outspoken and direct figure. At times, his approach to handling the press made him endearing, at least to fans and social media users.
Giants fans won’t want to hear it, but I personally don’t entirely disagree with Newton. Harbaugh has been around long enough to know that he’s coaching an NFL team, not a middle school team with mismatched jerseys.
Newton’s opinion carries weight because he’s both a former player and an accomplished collegiate and pro quarterback. He played the bulk of his career for Ron Rivera in Carolina and spent a year with Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Whatever issues people might have with Newton when it comes to his commentary, there’s no denying that he knows what properly motivates teams beyond winning and money.
We only know so much of what Harbaugh has told his team and its leaders behind closed doors. Maybe that kind of rah-rah speech didn’t resonate well compared to other tries Harbaugh may have made to rally the Giants. Finding out the answer is the whole point of the “Giants Life: The Offseason” show the team is producing, right?
Look, Harbaugh has been a head coach for nearly 20 years. If speeches like those worked with the Ravens, then who are we — as fans and pundits without a locker or office inside the Giants’ building — to judge him?
But if Harbaugh and the Giants are looking for a guest speaker within the coming weeks, why not gauge Newton’s interest? If anything, he’s the type to offer an unforgettable speech.
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