Cam Newton, the free-agent quarterback, has asserted that he won’t settle for less than $5.5 million if he joins the New York Jets.

In a recent interview on the RGIII and The Ones podcast hosted by Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton made it clear that he has no intentions of accepting a low-dollar deal if he were to join the New York Jets in light of Aaron Rodgers’ injury.

Also read | Denver Broncos to release Randy Gregory: Top landing spots for star DE

Newton firmly expressed his stance, saying, “Going back to control? You’re not about to sit up there and penny-pinch me, bro.” He added, “I’m not about to sit up here and sign no $5.5 million deal, bro, those days are over. I’d be wasting my time.”

The former NFL MVP emphasized that his decision goes beyond simply landing a spot on a roster. He stated, “Because I will tell you, if you don’t think that I could be on a roster right now, I could, but it’s bigger than that to me.”

Also read | Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp returns to practice, enters injured reserve activation window | Watch Video

Cam Newton continued, “Am I in shape right now? Hell yeah. In any situation, I’m going to sit up there and analyze it as much as possible. I don’t want to walk into a dysfunctional situation. Have you guys made Zach Wilson aware? Also, Aaron Rodgers is trying to come back this year; let’s also talk about that… So when he comes back, is it just going to be something that you’ll say: ‘Watch out’? So it’s a lot of things that I don’t just make impulse decisions.”

Cam Newton, who was the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, hasn’t been in the league since his second stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. His future in the NFL remains uncertain, and whether the New York Jets will meet his salary demands is yet to be seen.

As the NFL season progresses and teams grapple with injuries and performance issues, Newton’s stance on his value in the league will undoubtedly continue to be a topic of discussion among football enthusiasts and analysts alike.