Here’s what Cam Newton has been up to since he was last with the Carolina Panthers
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Cam returns to the Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have confirmed they are bringing back their former quarterback, Cam Newton, in a one-year deal.
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Cam Newton’s surprising return to Carolina completes a circuitous route.
After being released in March of 2020 by the organization that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011, Newton didn’t completely find success in his short time away from the Panthers, leading to Thursday’s official return when he agreed to a deal with quarterback-needy Carolina.
His journey began in New England a season ago, with Newton replacing future Hall of Famer Tom Brady when the seven-time Super Bowl champ left for Tampa Bay in free agency. Inked to a one-year deal with a base salary of $1.05 million in July 2020, he went 7-8 as the team’s starter and posted moderately respectable numbers.
Newton completed 65.8% of his attempts, throwing for 2,657 yards with eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions, compiling a 82.9 passer rating. He also rushed 137 times for 592 yards and 12 touchdowns.
But Newton also missed a game because he tested positive for COVID-19, and that ordeal caused headaches for the Patriots, forcing the team to fly to its game against Kansas City in two separate planes, with one specifically dedicated to people who were within close proximity to Newton while he was infected.
He re-signed with the Patriots in March of this year, again on a one-year deal, this time worth a reported $5.1 million, with $3.5 million of it guaranteed. New England then drafted Alabama QB Mac Jones in the first round of April’s draft, leaving Newton’s grip on the starting job tenuous.
Newton started all three of the Patriots’ preseason games despite missing three days of practice while held up in COVID-related protocol issues due to him attending a team-approved doctor’s appointment. At the outset of training camp, he never disclosed his vaccination status, saying “it’s too personal to discuss.” But according to the NFL’s guidelines. only unvaccinated players are subjected to a five-day quarantine period away from the team, which is the amount of time Newton spent waiting to rejoin his teammates.
Newton’s absence allowed Jones to gain momentum toward earning the starting nod as a rookie, and that came to fruition when the Patriots waived Newton on Aug. 31 to help trim their roster to the 53-man limit. In a video posted on his personal YouTube channel, he offered his thoughts on New England’s decision to cut him loose.
“Can we be honest?” Newton said in the video. “The reason why they released me is because indirectly I was going to be a distraction, without being the starter.”
Newton added his “aura” is “my gift and my curse” and he would have gladly accepted a role as the team’s backup behind Jones, who coincidentally, is the person who’s been discussed plenty this week following what happened after Jones was sacked by Brian Burns.
Since the Patriots released him, the only time Newton was heard from or seen publicly before Thursday came via that same YouTube channel. It was there where he also announced he was vaccinated against COVID-19 and still had a passion to play football, a signal to prospective teams that could be in need of adding a veteran at the position late in the season.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule, owner David Tepper and Steven Drummond, the team’s vice president of football operations and senior advisor to the owner, heard his message and elected to bring Newton back into the fold following Sam Darnold’s right shoulder injury.
Superman is once again in the building.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Here’s what Cam Newton has been up to since he was last with the Carolina Panthers."
