Cam Newton Goes Off, Challenges Richard Sherman to Game of 'Madden'

You have two options, Richard Sherman: Play Cam Newton in Madden, or live in shame as the champ who backed down from a video game challenge.

With the Madden cover contest coming down to its final days, the Carolina Panthers quarterback is taking matters into his own hands. He has issued an official challenge to his Madden co-cover finalist and the world at large.

James Dator of SB Nation spotted video of Newton’s ultimatum. The Panthers quarterback takes viewers on a tour of his Madden training dojo, “boog1eville,” but not before opening up with the predictable remixing of Sherman’s famous NFC Championship rant.

“I’m the best gamer in the league,” Newton says. “And when you try me with a sorry gamer like that, that’s the result you’ll get.”

Sigh. Will these Richard Sherman remakes ever end?

Thankfully, Newton moves briskly from the cliche to putting the world on notice. He will play Sherman anywhere, on any platform.

All said, this is a solid rant by Newton, even if it is a Madden-sponsored ploy for your money and attention. He provides explicit details of how gamers can get in contact with him for a matchup and provides a personal hotline only for Sherman, should the Seattle Seahawks corner have courage enough to pick up the sticks.

The only problem, however, is that the “1-888-CAM-PAIN” hotline isn’t what it seems. Dator writes that he called the number only to find himself dealing with a shady cruise-trip broker.

“Out of curiosity I called ‘1-888-CAM-PAIN’ and it turned out to be a free cruise scam,” Dator writes. “So our message to Richard Sherman is: Maybe don’t call that number. It’s just not worth it man.”

Indeed, perhaps Newton became confused and tried to cross-promote his secret cruise scam in the middle of a Madden pitch. I tried the number myself and encountered multiple “call failed” notices. Some seedy characters in Miami are probably burning documents and scrambling for a new telephone line as we speak.

All in all, this is a solid effort by Newton. It’s hard to best Sherman on the football field, so video games might be the only way Newton can pull out the Madden cover vote.

Needless to say, we await Sherman’s response, which will likely include him regretfully declining as he polishes the Lombardi Trophy.

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