Football star Cam Newton offered a passenger $1,500 to have his seat, and was denied. Newton could only fly to France cramped up in coach.
The 6-foot 5-inch, 245-pound Carolina Panthers quarterback was hoping to obtain a better seat on the plane for his athletic frame, a seat at the front of the row instead of behind another passenger, but the person he made the offer to did not oblige. Newton, who earns $20 million a year, ended up heading back to his seat in coach, CBS Sports reported.
So this happened… @CameronNewton offered a man $1500 cash for extra leg room on a 10hr flight and the man said “No??” #GiveFranceTheNFL pic.twitter.com/xQohV9Ngef
— Eli Edwards (@ElisaraEdwards) June 22, 2019
Newton was headed to France, but missed his original flight from Charlotte, where he had a business class seat. Instead, he had to head out through Dallas, where only coach was available, according to Andy Slater of iHeartRadio, via Twitter.
SLATER SCOOP: Wondering why a quarterback making $20M a year was flying coach?
Cam Newton paid for a business class seat from Paris to Charlotte, but missed his flight. His only option to fly home that day was through Dallas in regular economy class with no extra legroom. https://t.co/JafvtHxgYk
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) June 24, 2019
Cellphone video posted to Twitter by Eli Edwards captured part of the exchange between Newton and the other passenger. In the video, Newton can be seen heading back to his seat in defeat after the unsuccessful negotiation.
“So this happened… @CameronNewton offered a man $1500 cash for extra leg room on a 10hr flight and the man said “No??” #GiveFranceTheNFL,” wrote Edwards on Twitter.
Another Twitter user jokingly said what he would do in a similar situation.
“Ok as someone who is 6’2 and broke, if I knew that was cam Newton I would need at least 10k before I gave up any room on a 10 hour flight,” wrote @rihannanamator.
The video was posted on June 21. Newton arrived in France and attended Paris Men’s Fashion Week, according to a report from 247 Sports.
Newton joined other NFL players at Men’s Fashion Week, including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.
Other sports stars spotted at Men’s Fashion Week included basketball players Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City Thunder and Rudy Gay of the San Antonio Spurs. Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton was also in attendance, Yahoo Sports reported.
Newton has 9 years of NFL experience and is 30 years old, according to the Panthers. He attended Auburn University.
Newton’s season was cut short by two weeks due to shoulder surgery, the NFL reported in January. Newton had surgery on that same shoulder in March 2017.
“If you told me that [Newton] took a year off and could be fully recovered and everything else and that’s what it took, an extra year, why wouldn’t you do that?” said Panthers owner David Tepper, via the NFL. “Now, we would have to do other things and we’d have to go out and get another quarterback, which, if you could find me some more cap space, I’d appreciate that.”
Newton has two seasons left on his contract with the Panthers.
Also on June 21, Newton posted to Twitter about his youth football tournament.
“The Cam Newton Foundation 7 v 7 Football Tournament is going on all day today and tomorrow at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, SC! Check out some high school ???? and support the CNF!Thanks to our partners @UnderArmour @Gatorade and @Academy #CNF7v7”
Presumably he wasn’t there in person, since it coincided with his Fashion Week attendance.
The Cam Newton Foundation 7 v 7 Football Tournament is going on all day today and tomorrow at Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, SC! Check out some high school ???? and support the CNF!Thanks to our partners @UnderArmour @Gatorade and @Academy #CNF7v7 pic.twitter.com/3tDKtRjBTW
— Cameron Newton (@CameronNewton) June 21, 2019
