NFL MVP on Caitlin Clark: 'Why are we acting as if she’s America’s sweetheart' in WNBA?

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Cam Newton, a one-time NFL MVP with the Carolina Panthers, downplayed the Caitlin Clark-Chennedy Carter saga in the latest episode of his podcast on Friday.

Carter’s hard foul on Clark last weekend in the Chicago Sky’s matchup with the Indiana Fever was the talk of the sports world for the entire week – even before the rookie sharpshooter was reportedly left off the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball roster.

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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark sits on the bench during the New York Liberty game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, June 2, 2024. (Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports)

Newton weighed in on the "4th&1" podcast and said if it was any other league, the foul wouldn’t have been national headlines. Newton said the foul was just a part of basketball and told Clark to just keep on playing.

"Why are we acting as if she’s America’s sweetheart in a league that, she’s in a league full of hyenas and lions, tigers and bears? Everybody is comin’ after you to try to dethrone you, and trying to get in your head – mentally, physically, emotionally," Newton said. "And this is just an example of that. How many times did we see Michael Jordan get his a-- whupped? … Nobody is above getting checked or being disliked. So, Caitlin, welcome to the big leagues. Everybody ain’t gonna like you.

Cam Newton at Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl Party held at Marquee Dayclub Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan on Feb. 10, 2024. (Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

CAITLIN CLARK NOT BEING CHOSEN FOR OLYMPICS IS A 'GOOD THING FOR HER,' JEMELE HILL SAYS

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark signs autographs for fans before the Liberty game, May 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark drives against Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, Thursday, May 30, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler, File)

"Everybody not gon’ like the fact that you just are as young as you are and you’re the face of the WNBA. They’re not gonna like the fact that Nike just dropped a big boy bag on you. So, yeah… what did Steve Smith say? You gotta ice up, son. This is not the first time and it’s not gonna be the last time somebody is gonna try to check you to see if you really who you think you are."

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On Saturday, multiple reports indicated Clark wouldn’t be on the U.S. Olympic roster despite her enormous popularity and appeal across women’s basketball.

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