CAM Newton has a proven record as one of the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks - but the star athlete has a complicated love life.
Newton remains an adoring father to the 'seven' children he shares with his two baby mommas: ex-stripper Kia Proctor and La Reina Shaw, the model he secretly had a love child with.
Ex-girlfriend Kia Proctor
Kia Proctor first gained fame as a dancer under the name Hazel at a Washington DC strip club.
She reportedly met Newton after she moved to Atlanta to work as a party host and pursue a modeling career and the pair began dating in 2013 and first appeared together in public at the Kentucky Derby.
The couple continued to be spotted together at events including the third Annual NFL Honors in New York City in 2014 and shortly after started a family.
In 2015, Proctor gave birth to Newton’s first child, Chosen Sebastian Newton, the day before Christmas.
Newton has three other children with Proctor, his daughter Sovereign-Dior Cambella and two other sons Camidas Swain Newton and Cashmere Saint Newton.
Proctor also has a 12-year-old daughter, Shakira, from a previous relationship, who Newton has publicly referred to as his daughter.
Things turned sour between the two in 2019, when it was reported that Newton had a secret relationship with Instagram model La Reina Shaw, which led to a custody battle between the NFL player and Proctor.
Secret relationship with La Reina Shaw
Newton’s relationship with Proctor reportedly came to an end in January 2020, amid reports that the NFL quarterback had a secret child over the summer with model Reina Shaw.
According to Yahoo, Shaw lives in a place above Newton’s Atlanta restaurant, Fellaship, and the pair were spotted celebrating New Year’s Eve together.
Newton has not addressed the situation with Shaw directly, although he shared an eye popping post on Instagram to wish his child Caesar Lorenzo Newton a happy first birthday.
“Happy Birthday Day. King Caesar! I have grown so much with you being her on this earth and I am constantly reminded by what my purpose, discipline & drive is,” Newton shared.
“Thank you enjoy your day!!!”
Along with the caption, the football player shared a photo of the young child standing on his lap on what appears to be a private jet.
It was the first time Newton acknowledged his child with Shaw.
That same day, Shaw also celebrated Caesar on Instagram writing, “HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY to my sweet little boy! I am so grateful for your beautiful soul!
"Seeing you smile, laugh, learn, and grow is God’s most beautiful work, and something I will forever be grateful for!," she added.
Cam Newton's love for his children
Newton has been outspoken about his love for his children and his devotion as a dad.
On Father’s Day 2020, Newton shared a touching Instagram post with pictures of his children saying, “I’m a proud father of seven.
"A DADDY isn’t defined as the man who makes the child (NOT in all instances.)
“But rather a MAN who extends his hands and time to help with the child’s raising and his heart to LOVE the child through anything!!
"Blood doesn’t always make you [a] DADDY.
“Being a dad comes from the heart… Anybody can make a baby but it takes a real man to raise a child. Kudos to all the real men worldwide!! Happy Father’s Day to us,” Newton added.
He named all of his children at the end of the post, “Jaden, Shakira, Chosen, Sovereign-Dior, Camidas, Caesar and Cashmere.”
Jaden is Reina Shaw’s son from a previous relationship.
Known as Superman, Newton has succeeded at every level in the sport, winning the 2015 NFL MVP, playing in Super Bowl LI with the Carolina Panthers, and winning the Heisman Trophy and national title at Auburn.
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However, the 31-year-old athlete is one of the more polarizing quarterbacks in the game, and was dropped by the Panthers earlier this year, leaving him a free agent.
He signed with the New England Patriots on July 8, after quarterback Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay.
2008 arrest at University of Florida
Newton was arrested and charged with felony counts of burglary, larceny and obstructing justice in November 2008 after he allegedly stole a laptop while he was a student at the University of Florida.
Cops claimed Newton, who had previously been accused of academic dishonesty, threw the laptop out of his dorm window when they arrived to investigate, the Washington Post reported.
His charges were dropped when he completed a pretrial diversion program.
Newton later reflected on his arrest, saying it changed his life, the Associated Press reported.
"A lot of me changed that day, for obvious reasons," Newton said in a 2017 press conference.
Since then, Newton has had no other brushes with the law and often shies away from discussing police, though he broke his silence in 2016 to condemn the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte.
Controversial statements
In 2017, Newton received national backlash after he made sexist comments about a female reporter -- which the NFL was forced to officially condemn.
Newton's offending comments came when he laughed at Jourdan Rodrigue, a female Charlotte Observer reporter who asked him about routes during a news conference.
Newton responded it was "funny to hear a female" ask a question about wide receiver routes.
However, Newton later apologised for the comments, The New York Times reported.
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