Overview
- ESPN’s First Take broadcast from Birmingham’s Legion Field for Magic City Classic coverage featured a 40-yard dash between the Alabama State and Alabama A&M mascots.
- After the Alabama A&M Bulldog appeared to knock off Cam Newton’s hat, Newton slapped and shoved the mascot and said, "Stop playing with me."
- The on-air exchange lasted only seconds before the show returned to the desk without extended explanation or follow-up.
- Videos spread quickly across social media as outlets split on framing, with some describing the moment as playful or staged and others highlighting the force of the slap, drawing reactions that included a joking post from Birmingham’s mayor.
- As of Saturday, there were no public reports of disciplinary action, and several articles noted Newton’s separate 2024 altercation as background context.