NFL star Cam Newton reportedly tried to pay a fellow passenger $1,500 to switch seats with him on a flight, but was refused

Twitter/Eli Edwards

Eli Edwards claims he heard Cam Newton offer a man $1,500 to switch seats with him so he could have more legroom, but the man declined.

• NFL star Cam Newton reportedly tried to pay a fellow passenger $1,500 to switch seats with him on a plane.
• The quarterback was travelling in economy from Paris, France, to Dallas, Texas, but wasn't happy with the minimal legroom in his seat.
• Unfortunately, the man with a more enviable seat refused to swap, despite the financial incentive.
• The incident was captured on camera by fellow traveller Eli Edwards, and the video has now gone viral.
• Edwards told Business Insider that Newton didn't seem annoyed though, and simply shrugged it off.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

NFL star Cam Newton reportedly offered to pay a fellow passenger on board a flight $1,500 to switch seats with him because he wanted more legroom.

But unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers quarterback, the man in question refused.

The whole incident was captured on video by a traveller sitting just a few rows back, Eli Edwards, who was already filming his fiancée at the time as he'd been documenting their trip to Paris.

The video clip has now gone viral.

Edwards, who had just got engaged to his girlfriend, the Cameroonian footballer Estelle Johnson, told Business Insider he was surprised to see Newton travelling in economy rather than first class on the American Airlines flight from Paris to Dallas, Texas.

Edwards had originally spotted Newton in the airport due to his bright shirt and trademark hat, not to mention his 6'5" height.

"I noticed him right away at the airport at the ticket counter," Edwards said. "He came past me and I kind of said 'hi' to him - I think he was trying to go incognito but his outfit pretty much gave him away."

"I wasn't expecting him to be on the same flight as me, let alone travelling at the back in economy," Edwards continued.

Newton was travelling with a companion, but did not seem happy with his assigned seat.

"I saw Cam Newton go up to a gentleman and ask him if he'd be willing to trade seats for the extra legroom for the 10 hour flight," Edwards said.

"The man asked Cam Newton how tall he was. Cam Newton said 'about 6'6".' The man said he was about 6'4" so it wouldn't do him any justice to switch."

Read more: Cam Newton says he's giving up sex for a month to make his mind 'stronger'

The man with the extra legroom was also travelling with the two people sitting next to him, so presumably wanted to stay with them. He declined to give up his seat.

"I don't know if he knew that was Cam Newton," Edwards said. "If you're from the US, most people would recognise Cam Newton. I don't know if he did.

"I don't know if it was a logic thing or an ego thing, but whether you're 6'4" or 6'6" you don't want to be scrunched up for a 10 hour flight."

Edwards said Newton didn't seem too annoyed that the man wouldn't switch with him though, and "pretty much shook it off."

"I would say Cam just took it for what it was, he didn't seem annoyed to me. It was the guy's loss more than it was his loss," Edwards said.

Cam Newton did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.