Cam Newton has seemingly implied that there's a pay gap in the media for Black quarterbacks.
The conversation stems from an observation that Jemele Hill shared with the former Carolina Panthers QB on a recent episode of his Funky Friday Podcast.
"You got [Tom] Brady, [Tony] Romo, former quarterbacks. Terry Bradshaw, former quarterback. That space has been dominated by white quarterbacks," Hill said (around the 1:15:00 mark in the video above). "You're the only Black one that, as a quarterback, that is on TV giving analysis."
Without any prior research, it's understandable that Hill might be unaware of the likes of former Heisman Trophy winner and Detroit Lions' 1990 first-round pick Andre Ware and Buffalo Bills' 2013 first-round pick EJ Manuel, who currently cover college football games for ESPN. There's also Robert Griffin III, who parted ways with ESPN and now works for Fox Sports.
It should also be noted that, while not quarterbacks, Michael Strahan and Nate Burleson are in rarefied air as retired Black NFL players who have transitioned to daytime television and beyond.
Strahan is a co-host on Good Morning America and hosts the game show The $100,000 Pyramid, while Burleson co-hosts CBS Mornings, as well as Hollywood Squares with Drew Barrymore.
Taken aback by Hill's comment, Newton added: "Can we keep it funky? I don't get no Brady deal. I don't get no Romo deal. That's just facts."
"Am I bitter? Hell nah," he continued. "'Cause knowing what I know now, being a member of the media, I know that Brady worked his ass off, or has to work his ass off to get prepared for that show that he presents to the world. So does Romo."
Newton concluded: "As he's commentating, I can appreciate that, and I can see why he makes the type of money that he does make now."
It's difficult to compare the earnings of Romo and Brady to Newton because he doesn't cover actual games. Hill countered that an opportunity to provide analysis during NFL games was not given to Newton upon his exit from the league, like it was for Brady.
"But that's an opportunity, Cam, that they would not extend to you," she said.