CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This fall will mark the 10-year anniversary of the Carolina Panthers’ second Tremendous Bowl season, a magical run that featured a 14-0 begin, rollicking sideline celebrations and an MVP award for Cam Newton, who was in the midst of the whole lot.
The workforce has but to announce plans for a way or if it intends to honor the 2015 workforce and its gamers. Presumably there might be a reunion at a house sport to provide followers an opportunity to cheer for former coach Ron Rivera and star gamers like Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, Greg Olsen, Jonathan Stewart and Ryan Kalil as soon as once more.
It’s not a given Newton could be there.
With common appearances on ESPN’s “First Take,” in addition to his personal podcast, Newton has been heard from quite a bit recently. However the franchise’s solely MVP winner has been seldom seen in Charlotte since his eight-game return to the Panthers in 2021 throughout his closing NFL season.
Newton’s rift with the group that drafted him No. 1 in 2011 grew to become public in November after the Panthers’ journey to Germany. On his “4th & 1” pod, Newton mentioned he was damage workforce officers didn’t embody him with different retired gamers like Kuechly, Davis, Stewart, Steve Smith Sr. and Julius Peppers, who made appearances at beer halls and elsewhere in Munich earlier than the sport towards the New York Giants.
“Did it damage my emotions? Yeah, it did,” Newton mentioned in November. “As a person, I’m like, rattling bro, I gave this metropolis the whole lot.”
Newton mentioned on the identical pod he has “no quarrel” with David Tepper, the hedge-fund billionaire who purchased the workforce in 2018, or his spouse Nicole, the Panthers’ chief administrative officer. However he additionally indicated he hasn’t been again in Financial institution of America Stadium in an official capability since his enjoying profession ended.
The Panthers say their “doorways are open” to Newton, who has been invited to a number of team-sponsored occasions in recent times however didn’t attend, based on sources with information of the state of affairs.
“Cam Newton has been and can proceed to be welcomed by the Carolina Panthers,” a workforce spokesperson mentioned in a press release issued to The Athletic. “Our doorways are open, as they’re to all workforce Legends.”
Ron Rivera and Cam Newton shake palms after the Commanders edged the Panthers in a November 2021 sport at Financial institution of America Stadium. (Bob Donnan / Imagn Photographs)
Makes an attempt to achieve Newton by means of ESPN, his agent, relations and different associates have been unsuccessful. R.J. Mathis, a spokesperson for Newton, mentioned in a press release: “Cam’s time with the Panthers was really transformative, not only for him, however for your entire franchise and town. His love for Charlotte and most significantly the Panther followers will all the time be a major a part of his story.”
On his Nov. 14 podcast, Newton mentioned workforce officers have used a “b——- a– excuse like, ‘We don’t know if Cam retired or not,’ ” for conserving him at arm’s size.
“Me and that franchise, it’s easy. It takes two to tango,” he mentioned. “I’ve reached out a number of instances and did sure issues. There’s a lot familiarity there. How do they have a look at you? Do they have a look at you as an envoy or do they only have a look at you as a former participant? It’s a distinction.”
Getting into their thirty first season of play, the Panthers are nonetheless thought-about a comparatively younger franchise. However they’re starting to see a number of of their gamers obtain Corridor of Fame consideration. Peppers was enshrined in Canton final summer time, whereas Kuechly and Smith have been finalists this 12 months.
Newton’s Corridor of Fame possibilities will make for an attention-grabbing dialogue when he’s eligible. However a number of of his former teammates say there’s no debating his place within the Panthers’ annals.
“Cam is the most effective participant in Carolina Panthers’ historical past,” Roman Harper, who was teammates with Newton for 2 seasons, mentioned. “You may speak about Julius Peppers. However quarterbacks — they transfer the needle, not defensive ends. And Cam’s been the most effective quarterback by far this group drafted, developed and he grew to become an NFL MVP.”
Jordan Gross, who was inducted within the Panthers’ Corridor of Honor in 2019, echoed Harper.
“Cam is massively vital. We haven’t had a extra dynamic participant that was a freakin’ league MVP and the face of the league that 12 months and the years surrounding it,” mentioned Gross, a teammate of Newton for 3 seasons. “I believe he must be celebrated. He’s a singular particular person, that’s for certain. However a generational expertise and unbelievable participant.”
“I’d hope that sometime he could be within the Corridor of Honor and all that stuff,” Gross added. “As a result of he was freakin’ unbelievable, man.”
As Gross alluded to, Newton arrived in Charlotte with a swagger and an enormous character. Among the many causes the Panthers launched Smith in 2014 was to permit Newton room to develop into the loudest voice within the offensive huddle.
Newton’s outspokenness has develop into extra amplified as he’s transitioned into broadcasting. He raised eyebrows by saying on a current “First Take” he wouldn’t commerce his MVP award for a Tremendous Bowl ring, and angered ex-teammates final month after telling Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado, he joined a “locker room of losers” after the Panthers drafted him first general.
The 35-year-old Newton additionally took goal on the group in November, which didn’t sit effectively with workforce officers. Along with his feedback about not being invited to Munich, Newton mentioned there have been no images of him round Financial institution of America Stadium.
“You imply to inform me that one of many biggest Panthers to ever play ain’t up nowhere? Nowhere,” Newton mentioned.
Throughout a go to to the stadium two years in the past whereas on the town for a 7-on-7 event, Newton mentioned his son questioned the place his photos have been. Newton mentioned a tour information advised him he’d discover photos of himself “in every single place” on the second and third ranges.
“At this specific level and time, the query was, ‘Oh, we don’t know if Cam’s retired but.’ Information flash: I’m by no means gonna retire,” Newton mentioned. “I do know I’ve performed my final piece of soccer. It don’t matter to me to formally retire. I’m in a cheerful place.”
Captain Munnerlyn, who performed with Newton for 5 seasons, believes Newton is welcome at Panthers’ capabilities.
“I’ve been to a few of these occasions the place they’ve been like, ‘How can we get No. 1 again within the constructing? What do we have to do?’ They need him again round,” Munnerlyn mentioned. “And this simply ain’t common folks within the constructing. These are individuals who’ve received a say-so.”
Harper mentioned he’s had related conversations with folks within the group. He believes each side have to be keen to swallow their pleasure, together with Tepper.
“If he was to inform his folks beneath him, ‘Hey, I don’t care what it takes, I would like Cam right here proper now,’ how simple would that be?” Harper mentioned. “Actually. ‘I’ll take my airplane, I’ll choose him up.’ Simply do it. I don’t suppose it’s that tough. I don’t suppose these mountains are that tough to maneuver when you actually wish to transfer them.”
However Rivera, employed because the Panthers’ head coach just some months earlier than Newton was drafted, mentioned his former quarterback has to do his half to bridge the hole, as effectively.
“I’d like to see him get again into the Panther household. There was a degree the place he was such an enormous a part of the success that we had throughout that nine-year stretch. He deserves to be again,” Rivera mentioned. “However he’s additionally gotta be keen to do the issues and perceive that it takes extra than simply exhibiting up. He is aware of what he must do and I consider he’ll do it as a result of I actually do suppose he misses it.”
Requested to elaborate on Newton’s position in mending the strained relationship, Rivera mentioned: “If you come to occasions and provides again, plan to come back early. Plan to do one thing particular, do one thing completely different. That’s sort of my angle, the best way I prefer to current issues. And actually give again much more, so to talk.”
Newton isn’t the primary NFL participant whose relationship soured along with his workforce after he retired.
Corridor of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson feuded with the Detroit Lions after they made him repay $1.6 million of his signing bonus after his retirement following the 2015 season. Ultimately, the Lions agreed to pay Johnson for his appearances for the workforce, and the CBD firm he based with Lions teammate Rob Sims is now the official efficiency associate with Ford Area.
In September, Detroit inducted Johnson into the Satisfaction of the Lions ring of honor at halftime of a Monday night time sport towards the Seattle Seahawks. In an ideal world, Newton’s rift with the Panthers would finish with the same celebration.
The Panthers’ Corridor of Honor consists of eight inductees, six of whom have been honored within the seven years since Tepper purchased the workforce from Jerry Richardson. Beforehand, the Panthers unofficially required a participant to be retired for 5 seasons earlier than he was eligible for the workforce’s corridor.
However since Tepper took over as proprietor, the Panthers have applied a three-year ready interval, based on a workforce spokesperson. Whereas Newton mentioned the Panthers have made his non-retirement a sticking level, the spokesperson mentioned the workforce attracts no distinction between a participant having been retired versus having not performed within the NFL for 3 years.
Which means Newton, whose closing snap got here in a Week 18 loss at Tampa Bay in 2021, is eligible for the Corridor of Honor this 12 months. So are a number of different deserving members of the Tremendous Bowl 50 workforce, together with Kuechly, Olsen, Davis, Stewart and Kalil.
Cam Newton threw 186 landing passes with the Panthers and ran for one more 63 in his 10 seasons with the workforce. (Jeremy Brevard / Imagn Photographs)
Newton’s candidacy ought to be an open-and-shut case. The Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn was the Offensive Rookie of the Yr in 2011 after passing for a rookie-record 4,051 yards, a mark Andrew Luck broke the next season. After 6-10 and 7-9 seasons to begin his profession, Newton helped lead essentially the most profitable stretch in franchise historical past with 4 playoff berths in a five-year span, together with the looks in Tremendous Bowl 50 (a 24-10 loss to Denver).
Newton nonetheless owns 22 groups information, together with the entire main profession passing marks and the very best, single-game passing whole in franchise historical past — 432 yards towards Inexperienced Bay in his second sport (after throwing for 422 yards in his debut). Together with his 75 dashing touchdowns and 32 profession video games with a passing and dashing TD (each NFL information), Newton redefined the quarterback place for Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts and different dual-threat QBs who adopted him.
“It’s a win-win for Tepper. It’s like a layup,” Harper mentioned of resolving the problem with Newton.
Along with his on-field accomplishments, Newton made his mark locally within the Carolinas, internet hosting annual Thanksgiving and Christmas occasions to supply meals and vacation items to youngsters in want. Newton additionally phases 7-on-7 tournaments, and — by means of his basis — donated greater than $5 million to colleges, non-profit companies in Charlotte and his hometown of Atlanta, based on an article from the Panthers’ web site in 2020.
“For the Carolinas, I’m certain for the group, the fan base, he’s going to go down as arguably the best face of your entire franchise historical past so far as the influence he made on the neighborhood and the profile that he put the Panthers on,” mentioned Olsen, the favored Fox NFL analyst.
“So it’s in the most effective curiosity of the Panthers and the group and clearly all of the events concerned for there to be a really optimistic relationship between Cam and the group. I believe that’s what all of us need, that’s what we might all hope for. And my intestine is that they’re adults, they will get in a room. They’ll sort of hash out and air out perhaps a number of the grievances. Possibly a few of it’s actual, perhaps a few of it’s misinterpreted and perhaps not a lot.”
Olsen joined Rivera as visitors on Newton’s podcast final month on radio row on the Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans. Throughout a break within the taping, The Athletic’s Mike Jones noticed Panthers president Kristi Coleman get the group’s consideration earlier than giving Newton a hug and speaking to him for a few minutes.
Possibly the pleasant encounter was nothing greater than that. However perhaps it was the beginning of a thaw that may finally be capped with Newton being a part of raucous reunion with Harper, Olsen and different members of the 2015 Tremendous Bowl workforce at Financial institution of America Stadium this fall.
“Carolina wants to achieve out and bridge the hole,” mentioned Harper, a school soccer analyst for ESPN and the SEC Community.
“There’s no motive to tear down or burn down any extra bridges to the most effective participant in your group’s historical past. Level, clean, interval. Let all of it go. After which all of us can have enjoyable collectively as a result of that’s in the end what all of us need.”
(High photograph: Michael Tran / AFP by way of Getty Photographs)