Former NFL star Cam Newton said he does not want to marry. He explained his reasoning on a recent podcast appearance.
Cam Newton Compares Marriage to Cap
Cam Newton told the TalkLesShow podcast he prefers relationships built on choice.
“I like volunteers, not hostages,” he said.
He added, “You can have marriage with no commitment, and you don’t have to have marriage to have a commitment.”
Newton said engagement rings and some wedding rituals feel performative.
Newton is a father to nine children. He shares children with three different women and helps raise additional children in blended households. Newton praised the mothers of his children and called parenting a joint responsibility.
On the podcast, the former MVP discussed dating and future partnerships.
He said a new partner must willingly embrace his family.
“If the guy you’re dating ain’t willing to love on these five children, he ain’t the guy for you,” Newton said in one exchange.
The quarterback also acknowledged his fear of divorce when discussing marriage.
“My desire to get married is lower than my fear of divorce,” he said in another interview.
Controversy and context
Some of Newton’s comments have sparked backlash online. Critics pointed to remarks about women’s “value” and the number of children they have.
Newton has been open about the pressures of fatherhood and finances.
He told interviewers that leaving the NFL changed his ability to provide as he once did. He described fatherhood as his most important role.
Newton and his girlfriend Jasmin Brown recently welcomed a child together. He said he would be content without formal marriage if mutual commitment exists.