Steve Smith Sr. On Cam Newton: "We Bumped Heads" In Carolina

[Morose Polymath]

@Mook @SireSiah#KWU I know yall were the main 2 #PantherPosse brehs who knew something was up between Smitty and Cam and as a result weren't too pleased with Cam since he may have led to Smitty being released..........well looks like yall were right :pantherscry:

Steve Smith on Cam: 'We bumped heads' in Carolina

When the Panthers released Steve Smith back in March of 2014, the controversial decision sent shock waves throughout the Carolinas. The greatest player in franchise history had planned to play one more season with the Panthers before hanging up his cleats and waiting the mandatory five years for Hall of Fame consideration.

One report at the time suggested that general manager Dave Gettleman viewed the ornery veteran as a distraction on a rebuilding roster. There was more to the story.

Left unsaid was that Smith was standing in the way of the organization's plan to turn the offense over to Cam Newton

In the latest edition of NFL Network's A Football Life which airs this Friday 9 p.m. ET, Smith acknowledged an uneasy relationship with the young quarterback.

"We bumped heads for the obvious reason. He's the first overall pick and he was a star where he was," Smith explained, via Blackandbluereview.com. "I was 31 years old. I had three kids. So we were two people in two different phases of their life.". :panthersohhh:

Although a revenge-minded Smith unloaded on Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera after leading a Ravens defeat of the Panthers in October of 2014, Newton avoided the shrapnel.

Both players have tight-lipped on their three years together in Charlotte. Former Panthers tackle Jordan Gross has shed light on their tenuous connection, however.

"That was a tough dynamic. It frustrated Steve being with such a young quarterback who maybe didn't get all the terminology down right away, who would mess up his reads on a hot route, things like that. Steve had no patience for that," Gross said.

"Honestly, I feel like that hurt Cam's development a little bit because Steve was such an in-your-face character. He wanted to win now. Steve wasn't a rookie. Steve was getting into double-digit seasons, and he didn't want to wait to win for this young quarterback to develop.

"I think the organization felt like for Cam to flourish, they needed Steve to step down.":pacspitpanthers:

Wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl echoed that sentiment, conceding that as difficult as the decision might have been for Gettleman and Rivera, the change was "probably good for everybody."

That statement certainly rings true.

Newton went on to assume control of the offense, running away with the 2015 MVP award while leading the Panthers into Super Bowl 50 as the sport's preeminent dual-threat quarterback.

Three years after his release, Smith trails only the legendary Jerry Rice as the greatest "old" receiver in NFL history. Once he retires after the 2016 season, he will be a shoo-in to join Rice in Canton.

To my #PantherPosse brehs I can't front.... this got me kinda tight bringing up old shyt and revealing more light on Smith's Departure.

@Killah Ray @UserNameless @No Sleep
@Frank Sabotka @Relldaproblem @distinguishedNOW
@Bishop_BP_Jakes @young3000 @IGSaint12
@CBSkyline @Jparker90 @Millions
@Carolina Slim @42 Monks @Henry Orbit
@hyperman25 @Corey Matthews @BXKingPin82
@Darth Nubian @Ultima @BlackLightning
@Outlaw @Rigby. @BXKingPin82

On a side note The Football Life Documentary on Smitty this Friday is going to be

 

[42 Monks]

We all knew it was true. Like I said... I never really liked Cam until he got into that truck accident. He really seemed different after that.

Steve Smith still the GOAT undersized wideout though you know he slapped Cam in the mouth at least 9 times in practice too

 

[Millions]

Smitty my GOAT but we all knew this is why we moved on from him and also him being critical about Shula and money ...a combo of all of those things plus it was time for The panthers to be Cams team. and in hindsight regardless of the year we are having now the move has done wonders. It was time for Cam to takeover over the locker room as well as Luke..3 back to back winning seasons and MVP /Super bowl Gettleman won't wrong in his wanting cam to takeover the team he has done great things for the organization

With that said I feel like they could've and would've worked out well for just one more year tho ...and our best player ever deserved better ...

With that said it hurt seeing him in a bmore jersey still does and I Can't wait til he signs that one day and retires a Cat

Ain't know he had a football life airing soon

 

[Bishop_BP_Jakes]

Was gonna post this in the season thread earlier. Not at all surprised anytime the word "confrontation" and Steve Smith are involved. I was hot like everyone else when we got rid of Smitty, but the more i thought about it, i gotta agree with Gross that it was best for both parties. Seeing how Killa's demeanor is, the last thing you want is to have a psychopath WR in his ear.
That being said, we definitely miss his attitude and overall toughness. We still haven't replaced his fukk-the-world mentality and it shows this season.

 

[010101]

definition of a dawg*

 

[Millions]

Was gonna post this in the season thread earlier. Not at all surprised anytime the word "confrontation" and Steve Smith are involved. I was hot like everyone else when we got rid of Smitty, but the more i thought about it, i gotta agree with Gross that it was best for both parties. Seeing how Killa's demeanor is, the last thing you want is to have a psychopath WR in his ear.
That being said, we definitely miss his attitude and overall toughness. We still haven't replaced his fukk-the-world mentality and it shows this season.

We missing his and Norman's fire every team need a nikka like that

 

[42 Monks]

Was gonna post this in the season thread earlier. Not at all surprised anytime the word "confrontation" and Steve Smith are involved. I was hot like everyone else when we got rid of Smitty, but the more i thought about it, i gotta agree with Gross that it was best for both parties. Seeing how Killa's demeanor is, the last thing you want is to have a psychopath WR in his ear.
That being said, we definitely miss his attitude and overall toughness. We still haven't replaced his fukk-the-world mentality and it shows this season.

"But you're only 5'9? "
"Throw the fade or catch one - fukkboy I ain't gonna tell you twice "





...I mean, everyone knew what was goin down

I just wish Steve was around to mentor Benjamin

 

[Corey Matthews]

Eeh, so a young QB without "real" QB learning in college was having trouble with some of the transition to the pros and Steve had a problem with it

If he they don't get that lame shyt out of here, like WTF did he expect? His impatience was not Cam's problem nor was it Cam's fault that he was impatient.

Honestly I have never like Steve Smith.

 

[bear27]

That's a shame if he had of stayed around they win that superbowl.Steve Smith ain't dropping some of them passes.Always one of my favourite non Vikings players.Shame how it ended there,still looks weird as fukk seeing him in a Ravens jersey.

 

[Axum Ezana]

naw still think its gettlemen at the end of the day...cause on the field they did great.

shyt Jordan wasn't buddy buddy with rodman but he still won chips with him.

 

[Millions]

naw still think its gettlemen at the end of the day...cause on the field they did great.

shyt Jordan wasn't buddy buddy with rodman but he still won chips with him.

Facts smith looked washed with clausen and solid with Matt Moore but Cam got him back to the pro bowl

I think he throwing salt and Killa with a lil jealousy cause he wasn't able to exit his team on his own terms

I think it's Shula , Gettleman and a lil bit of Cam ...I think the locker room shifted to cam maybe not year one but definitely year 3

 

[Axum Ezana]

Facts smith looked washed with clausen and solid with Matt Moore but Cam got him back to the pro bowl

I think he throwing salt and Killa with a lil jealousy cause he wasn't able to exit his team on his own terms

I think it's Shula , Gettleman and a lil bit of Cam ...I think the locker room shifted to cam maybe not year one but definitely year 3

yeah cam shouldnt have did that until they had someone quick n shifty with good hands to go in the slot to replace him.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

fukk Steve Smith

 

[distinguishedNOW]

We all love Smitty as a player but it's always been obvious he wasn't the greatest teammate.

I always thought jealousy was involved once it became Cam's team and Smitty kinda got pushed to the side. When he said some sideways shyt about Cam as a QB and leader back when they were really struggling one of those first seasons I knew something was up.

 

[42 Monks]

We all love Smitty as a player but it's always been obvious he wasn't the greatest teammate.

I always thought jealousy was involved once it became Cam's team and Smitty kinda got pushed to the side. When he said some sideways shyt about Cam as a QB and leader back when they were really struggling one of those first seasons I knew something was up.

He wasn't wrong though.