CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The quarterback who spends his NFL Sundays giving footballs to kids after touchdowns took his charitable donations to another level this past Sunday when Oprah Winfrey called.
His shoes.
Yes, Cam Newton gave the television host/actress/philanthropist a pair of his size 14 shoes.
Here’s the story.
Winfrey was preparing to give the commencement speech at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte when her long-time partner, Stedman Graham, realized he packed only one shoe.
Now Graham wears a size 15, which apparently isn’t easy to find on a weekend in Charlotte. Winfrey, according to the Charlotte Observer reporter covering the commencement speech, roamed the bar at The Ritz-Carlton asking strangers their shoe size.
In a desperation move about 12:30 a.m. she called Newton, who wears a size 14.
Oprah says Stedman forgot to pack one (size 15) shoe, called Cam Newton early this a.m., and today is wearing the QB's (size 14) shoes.
— Théoden Janes (@theodenjanes) May 15, 2016
Oprah Winfrey is in the building. #JCSU16 pic.twitter.com/9Bu9wP81WU
— Théoden Janes (@theodenjanes) May 15, 2016
"[He] managed to get his heel in Cam’s shoe," Winfrey reportedly told the crowd. "So he is standing in Cam Newton’s shoes this morning."
The crowd roared.
Now Newton has plenty of shoes to spare. Belk executive John Thomas told ESPN.com last season that the NFL MVP has more than 140 pairs of shoes in his Uptown Charlotte home.
Many are like this pair that Newton wore to a postgame news conference.
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton has his Dancing with the Stars shoes on tonight. https://t.co/uyea3Qrn2L pic.twitter.com/osNmLJTIAm
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) November 27, 2015
So if you’re ever in Charlotte and need a very large pair of fancy shoes in a rush, Newton is your guy.