"That's opinionated" - Cam Newton calls out Ryan Clark for digging into RG III’s marriage in online feud

Former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton condemned ESPN analyst Ryan Clark for bringing Robert Griffin III's interracial marriage into their heated online feud about WNBA stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

The comment came from Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, while Clark is a former NFL safety turned ESPN personality, who co-hosts "The Pivot" podcast. Griffin, also known as RG3, works as a FOX Sports analyst after his NFL career with Washington and other teams.

Newton addressed the controversy during his "4th & 1 With Cam Newton" show on Wednesday. He specifically called out Clark's decision to reference Griffin's personal life and marriage in what should have been a sports debate.

"That's opinionated," Newton said (11:22). "When you speak about specifics that takes place in a household, that's where the line is drawn."

The backdrop involves a bitter exchange between Ryan and Griffin that started over their differing takes on the Caitlin-Reese rivalry. Griffin posted a video claiming Reese "hates" Caitlin, which sparked Ryan's sharp response about Griffin's perspective on Black women's experiences.

Ryan Clark's controversial remarks

46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards - Source: Getty

Ryan Clark faced intense backlash on social media after his comments went viral but he refused to back down from his position. The ESPN analyst posted a lengthy defense of his daughter on X, revealing personal details about his family while maintaining his stance.

"I didn't know this was news, but since other people want to talk about her," Ryan tweeted on Wednesday. " ... This is my first born Jaden. My God she's beautiful. All of her! I fell in love with her the first time I ever saw her, & I've loved her every day since. We grew up together. We cried together, laughed, fought… She is all mine and I've always been so proud to be her father.

Maybe, the news in light of this week is that she's biracial. So? She is a perfect part of my God given experience, & the sum of those experiences make me who I am!"

The original dispute stemmed from Saturday's WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever. Caitlin gave Reese a hard foul during a layup attempt, leading to a flagrant-1 call and technical fouls for both Reese and Fever forward Aliyah Boston.

Robert Griffin III interpreted Reese's reaction as evidence of hatred toward Caitlin, while Ryan saw it as villainizing a young Black athlete. Ryan escalated the disagreement by questioning Griffin's ability to understand Black women's experiences due to his marriages to white women.