Carolina Panthers: Temper your expectations for Cam Newton part two
The Carolina Panthers have brought Cam Newton home, but how this all plays out remains to be seen.
He’s back. Superman has returned to Carolina. These are just some of the phrases that describe the reaction of Cam Newton‘s signing with the Panthers.
On Thursday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the former league MVP and longtime Panthers quarterback is returning to his stomping grounds. Before this, Newton played a season with the New England Patriots before spending some time in the free-agent market.
It’s honestly great to see Cam Newton back in a Panthers uniform. He brought charisma to an organization that hadn’t had it since the early 2000s. Also, he took the franchise to a Super Bowl and, as mentioned previously, won league MVP while doing so. But let’s not get too carried away.
It’s going to take a while before Newton is actually on the field. If he can pick up the offense right away, he’ll be on the field sooner than later. Given his pedigree, there’s no reason to doubt him. That said, we also cannot expect him to be as great as he was during his run to the big dance in 2015.
Cam Newton is an icon of the Carolina Panthers, but time has changed since he left.
In 2011, the Carolina Panthers selected Newton No.1 overall after the Heisman-Trophy-winning quarterback led Auburn to an undefeated season and a national championship. In his first career start, Newton tossed for 422 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. His rookie season concluded with being named the NFL offensive rookie of the year.
Newton also holds the record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (70) and most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season (14). However, his initial departure was not harmonious.
Additionally, Newton endured many struggles as a Patriot, leading the team to a 7-9 record and missing the playoffs. After New England drafted Mac Jones, Newton was eventually released.
Now he is back home, but don’t get too carried away. Newton’s time away from Carolina has been eventful. But he is more than capable of coming in and performing well. What he does with this opportunity remains to be seen.
That said, it’s the right thing by the Panthers organization to bring their former franchise quarterback home. You never know what you have until it’s gone.