Cam Newton is now a *visits Mexico one time* meme come to life. Over the weekend, the Carolina Panthers quarterback went to Mexico for the first time, and he’s ready to publicly join the ranks of Mexican athletes.
Speaking to Mexican sports outlet La Afición on Saturday, Newton was asked about whether he had been in Mexico before. He answered, with a laugh, that he is “Mexican. I’m a little bit of everything, African, Mexican, American. Everything.”
Newton was in Monterrey over the weekend as part of an NFL outreach program, setting up football clinics for Mexican children at the Estadio Gaspar Mass. Speaking about the importance of the trip, the quarterback said that he wants to help turn football from an American sport into an international one.
Given the reaction at the airport when Newton arrived, football might not have long to go. The 2015 NFL MVP was surprised at the level of enthusiasm he saw from the Mexican fans: “As soon as I touched down in Monterrey, the love has been overwhelming. There’s a lot of people at the airport, so much love and support. I was blown away.”
Maybe the fans were just excited to meet a Mexican sports icon?