Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton was recently part of the much-publicized ESPN layoffs in July. Before his career as an analyst, Newton had a highly successful college football and NFL career, predominantly with the Auburn Tigers and the Carolina Panthers, respectively.
Recently, Newton expressed disappointment with how his Panthers career ended in 2020, when the franchise released him.
Cam Newton Recalls Distressing Carolina Panthers Release
During Tuesday’s segment of the “4th and 1” podcast, Newton detailed his distressing release from the Panthers after sacrificing his body for the franchise.
“Sometimes it’s not even about saying, it’s processing how to say it,” Newton said. “Like, ‘Dang, dog, I’m disappointed.’ I didn’t know at that time how to tell Carolina’s management that I’m disappointed. I gave y’all everything, bro. I played when y’all knew I wasn’t supposed to play. I poked my body so many times with Toradol shots, man, just for this team, for this city. Just to be able to be the person y’all needed.
“I felt like a lab rat sometimes, but I ain’t complain, I didn’t cry. I ain’t sulk. Yeah, I took a hit with my image because I knew what I wanted to give the Carolinas. I wanted to bring a Super Bowl to that city because nobody was able to do that. I wanted to bring the pride to be able to say, ‘I sacrificed my relationship with my kids, baby mama. I sacrificed so much.’ When I needed people to believe in me the most, they gave up on me.”
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After winning the Heisman Trophy at Auburn in 2010, the Panthers selected Newton with the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The quarterback completed the trifecta of winning the national championship, the Heisman Trophy, and being selected No. 1 in the draft.
The outspoken Newton quickly established himself as one of the league’s most explosive offensive players, winning the NFL Rookie of the Year award. In 2014, Newton fractured two transverse processes in his lower back in a car crash. The quarterback missed only one game before returning to action.
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The former Heisman winner had the best season of his career in 2015, leading the Panthers to a franchise-best 15-1 regular-season record and an appearance in Super Bowl 50. That year, Newton led all quarterbacks in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns, winning the Offensive Player of the Year and the NFL MVP.
According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, Newton posted an impact score of 86.8 in his MVP season, which ranked 69th all-time and third that season, behind Carson Palmer (88.7) and Russell Wilson (88.0).
Newton suffered several niggling injuries in the ensuing years and was finally released in 2020. The quarterback succeeded Tom Brady with the New England Patriots for a season before the Patriots released him in 2021.
Newton returned to Carolina in 2021 after Sam Darnold’s injury but had to split game time with P.J. Walker. He ended his career as a Panther and still holds several franchise records.
