“Understand your cost of living”: Cam Newton sheds light on Darrell Baker Jr’s practice squad paycheck declaration (Image via Getty: Cam Newton and Darrell Baker Jr.)Miami Dolphins cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. is doing cyberspace rounds for saying, “Everybody thinks we’re rich.” He is inviting a lot of criticism from fans online. But some people from the NFL fraternity are standing up for him, like Deshaun Watson’s mentor [longtime personal QB coach], Quincy Avery. “I’m so confused why people are mad at what he said. He said he isn’t rich, or practice squad players aren’t rich. Which they aren’t,” Avery wrote on X. Another former fellow player [Cam Newton] had a different take on Darrell’s declaration. Let’s find that out.Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton gives key lessons on Darrell Baker Jr’s money talksAfter playing Darrell Baker Jr.’s video on how much a practice squad member makes per month and per week, Cam Newton shared his side of the story. Newton has never been a practice squad member himself, but his younger brother, Cecil Newton, was named to the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad in October 2011. Anyhow, Newton said that a professional title does not equal a professional pocket. Being in the league does not mean a player has unlimited fortune/boundless wealth.A player’s lifestyle should match their title -- Pro Bowl, All-Pro, draft round selection, career stats, and contract size. They need to educate themselves, know their expenses, and stick to a budget. “Too many times I’ve been to practice facilities,” Newton said on his 4th&1 podcast. “And I see how certain people pull up, and I see how they live, and I’m like, how much money? How many Pro Bowls? How many All-Pros? What [draft] round did he go in? See everybody trying to look the part without them actually being the part. Why would a free agent be living as if he is the franchise player? Just because you got the title of being a professional player doesn’t always equate to professional pockets.First off, educate yourself. Understand your cost of living. Put yourself on a budget. This is a business first. And it’s not personal.”Cam Newton says there is a difference between looking rich and being richThe former Carolina Panthers quarterback said that people assume professional athletes are rich. Many players spend money trying to copy superstars. The role players or free agents live their lives like franchise stars with $100 million contracts. Newton calls it a wrong mentality.“The biggest misconception is that just because an individual is in the professional realm, it means that that individual has really succeeded financially. Ha ha,” Newton said.“And boy, could you be so stupid? A lot of people make this big mistake. They try to keep up with the Joneses. You go into the league, and you’re like, ‘Mama! I done made it.’ No, no, no. Wrong mentality, brother. We don’t do what a lot of these airlines tell us to do. Make sure that your mask is on and secured first before you can help anybody else. See, you may have some Lil Wayne’s around the world, also Birdman’s. Some big timers, some big stunners. They wanna stunt like they daddy. But brother, hey, you ain’t got it like that.”