The Breakfast Club INTERVIEW: Cam Newton & Ashley Nicole Talk '106 & Sports,' NFL, ESPN's First Take; Russell Wilson + More

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: October 8, 2025
Guests: Cam Newton & Ashley Nicole
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren LaRosa

Episode Overview

This episode brings former NFL MVP Cam Newton and sports media personality Ashley Nicole into the Breakfast Club studio to discuss their new BET show 106 & Sports. The conversation fluidly mixes sports, pop culture, relationships, and Black athlete narratives, with the hosts exploring not only sports hot topics—like Travis Hunter, Deion Sanders, Russell Wilson, and Lamar Jackson—but also deeper conversations about authenticity, relationships, media moves, and what it means to launch a dynamic new show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Travis Hunter & Mentorship in Sports

• Cam Newton discusses his C1N all-star program & the importance of using football as a vehicle for change:
  • "Travis Hunter is a person that does not get respected enough because he has not did anything wrong...we couldn't find no dirt on him, so we have to attack somebody close to him. Never had a DUI, not a domestic..." [03:28]
  • Cam highlights mentorship and giving alternatives to crime:
    "You don't gotta rob. You ain't gotta steal. You ain't gotta, you know, sell drugs. Like, bro, this pig skin right here can take you places." [04:26]

2. Relationship Transparency: How Much is Too Much?

A lively segment unpacks whether partners should divulge their full dating histories, especially in professional circles.

• Lauren LaRosa:
  • "If you’re gonna cross paths...then yes, I think that that should be vocalized...but if it’s like you’re a hometown, you know, crush and they're never gonna [meet], like, he don't need to know that." [06:40]
• Ashley Nicole:
  • Stresses context and transparency: "...if you know, okay, babe, look, we going back to my homecoming...here was a person that may have been important...You need to have a conversation" [07:12]
• Cam Newton:
  • Advocates for openness: "If I’m asking you what I deem is extremely surface level and innocent...Because now it’s a deeper-rooted issue. If you’re going to go to hell with this information, what else are you willing to keep?" [10:25]
  • Metaphor: "Cinderella's shoe was fit for Cinderella. My name is Cam Newton. I can't put on Cinderella's shirt." [09:19]
• DJ Envy / Hosts:
  • Offer real relationship scenarios, playfully pushing for honesty but recognizing boundaries.

3. Genesis of '106 & Sports' on BET

• Ashley Nicole & Cam Newton detail the unique audition and pairing process:
  • "I got a call that they were doing castings...pairings in LA last minute. Cam and I even virtually just had a chemistry that was just drastically different than what he had with anyone." [13:19]
  • Cam reflects on humility and reinvention: "...this entitled mentality of, like, man, I'M Cam Newton, first pick, Heisman winner, MVP...Like, man, nobody care nothing about that now." [14:00]

4. Russell Wilson, Authenticity, and Black Athlete Narratives

• Lauren LaRosa:
  • Questions criticisms of Wilson’s “corniness”: "Russell Wilson’s an easy target because people perceive his proximity to blackness not acceptable. Right. He’s kind of like a Carlton Banks..." [16:53]
  • Champions authenticity: "If he tried to come out there...dressed in a lot of swagger, people were like, yo, who does this guy think he is? Right...If he pulls back...‘oh, you corny.’ You can’t have it both ways." [22:33]
• Cam Newton:
  • Breaks down why the Russell/Sierra discourse exists: "The reason why people make this a story...is because who Sierra was with prior to Russell Wilson." [23:22]
  • Declares Wilson a Hall of Famer: "I think Russell Wilson is a Hall of Famer. If you let people...his numbers are comparable to them, one being Eli Manning." [25:00]

5. Ravens, Lamar Jackson & NFL Discussion

• Cam Newton:
  • Expresses continued faith in the Ravens and Lamar Jackson: "...I believe in Lamar Jackson. Like, Lamar Jackson is another person, similar to what I was saying about Travis Hunter. Yeah. Does he have any Super Bowls? No. But does he have MVPs? Yes." [26:46]
  • Praises Jackson’s spotless public persona and importance as a Black quarterback: "We don’t even know who he dating. We don’t know what is going on. The main thing has always been the main thing." [27:10]

6. Shador Sanders, Deion Sanders & NFL Business Decisions

• Cam Newton:
  • Critiques the Browns’ treatment of Shador Sanders: "I don't think Cleveland wants him to succeed." [28:43]
  • Discusses how business, not just talent, dictates NFL decisions: "People always look at the entertainment of the NFL not realizing...Jerry Jones is a dominant businessman and this is a sport to him." [28:50]
• Lauren LaRosa:
  • Analytical on why some players don’t get chances: "If he’s not even seeing the field, so I can understand, you know, with the analogy you use about Envy..." [29:56]
  • “...any 5th round pick has an uphill battle. You add the last name, you add Deion Sanders...it’s just adding to the already uphill battle.” [31:39]

7. Cam’s Move to ESPN First Take & Media Industry Integration

• Ashley Nicole:
  • Asks how Cam navigated the transition, especially after Shannon Sharpe’s exit.
• Cam Newton:
  • Shows gratitude and refuses comparison/competition: "You can’t have me talk bad on that person because I look up to him...What we get misguided with is this is not competition in content. It’s just my next collaboration." [32:52 & 33:45]
  • Lessons from Stephen A. Smith: “He’s a person that is a machine...I want to move people emotionally.” [35:25]

8. Production Details & BET Show Format

• Ashley Nicole & Lauren LaRosa:
  • "It’s the first ever countdown show...Is it in front of a live audience?" [36:27]
  • Confirmation that the show aims for a “live” feeling with innovative packaging.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Cam Newton on mentorship:
  "I'm trying to tell you. We can go left, but we can keep it right. We can go both ways." [03:08]

• Cam Newton on being open in relationships:
  "If you don't really truly know a person...you can't really truly be in love with a person." [11:43]

• Lauren LaRosa on authenticity:
  "But I feel like Russell Wilson doesn’t give people enough in his personal life to attack him—so you gotta attack something so superficial that he’s not cool enough." [17:18]

• Cam Newton on sports narratives:
  "Favorites with athletes is in the eye of the beholder. It's the same thing. It's like if we're covering sports, and that's why we love sports so much and these type of topics and viewpoints is what we plan on bringing to the screen for 106 in sports as well." [25:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:00–05:05: Travis Hunter, C1N program, mentorship
• 05:27–12:41: Relationship transparency, history, and expectations
• 12:43–15:11: Origins of 106 & Sports; casting process, chemistry
• 16:48–18:33 & 21:35–25:44: Russell Wilson “corniness”, authenticity, Black QBs
• 26:10–28:36: Ravens, Lamar Jackson discussion
• 28:36–32:20: Deion & Shador Sanders, NFL business
• 32:21–35:54: Cam’s ESPN move, Shannon Sharpe, media industry
• 36:24–37:25: BET show format, live packaging, host chemistry

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a fresh look at sports media, athletic authenticity, and cultural conversation through Cam Newton and Ashley Nicole’s chemistry and candor. It introduces 106 & Sports as more than a typical sports show—promising frank perspectives, cultural commentary, and personal storytelling.

Recommended for listeners interested in:

• Behind-the-scenes tales of new sports media ventures
• Nuanced conversations about Black athletes in and out of sports
• Honest relationship debates and authenticity in public life
• Cam Newton’s unique post-NFL journey and approach to content creation