Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton preparing for weekend with Chosen, friends

In high spirits Friday, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton gleefully talked to reporters about his weekend plans during the bye week.

He planned on resting and relaxing with family, playing with his 2-week-old son, Chosen, and tuning out football after a week of practice in Charlotte.

“I’m not a big football fan outside of football,” said Newton, channeling his inner Yogi Berra when asked if he’d watch the NFC playoff games Sunday that will determine Carolina’s opponent for Jan. 17. “I think being that my family and friends will be worried about what the score is, the game will be on. I’m not going to be particularly particular about the game. I know who and when they play. It’ll be a good gathering.”

Life is good for Newton. In a month he’ll be named the NFL Most Valuable Player the night before the Super Bowl he hopes to be playing in. His team is 15-1, the best record in the history of the franchise.

He’s getting two of his weapons back next week in receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and running back Jonathan Stewart. And Newton is reveling in being a dad for the first time.

“I was thinking about taking little Chosen to the DMV to get his license. It’s about that time,” Newton said of his son, born on Christmas Eve to his girlfriend, Kia Proctor. “He texted me yesterday saying he wants to work out and do two-a-days. I have my hands full.”

Chosen Sebastian Newton was born weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces and checking in at 20 inches long. Newton has joked that his son has scholarship offers, can dunk and is taking applications for prom.

Newton is aware of the inherent expectations of being named Chosen. But the quarterback wanted something “masculine but yet unique.”

In second grade he shared a classroom with a girl named Kameron, and in the locker room he has a teammate named Cameron Artis-Payne. He expects there to be only one Chosen.

“Every person that I’ve had this conversation with, I say I didn’t want him to have the pressure of being a junior,” Newton said. “And then they reply with, ‘What the hell do you think Chosen is going to bring?’ I think it’s something that he’s going to grow up and appreciate rather than have a couple (of kids) in his classroom with the same name as him when they’re doing morning roll call and they say his name.”

Newton even discussed some of his fashion choices. He’s known to be fashion forward, whether you find what he wears to his postgame news conferences fashionable or not.

On Friday, he practied in cut-off football pants with what appeared to be sheer tights on underneath.

“These are recovery stockings. Something like that,” Newton mumbled. “It’s for your legs to recover. I figure if any day to recover, why not today and this whole weekend?”

It’s not all fun and games, of course. The Panthers and Newton tried to use this week to improve themselves. Because they don’t know who their opponent will be, the Panthers spent the three practices correcting mistakes from previous weeks.

Newton has a completion percentage just under 60 percent while accounting for 45 touchdowns this season, the most in a season in his career and the most league-wide this season.

The Panthers finished with the best scoring offense in the league at 31.6 points per game, but the Dec. 27 loss to Atlanta showed a vulnerability. A consistent inability to convert third downs and prolong drives doomed the Panthers to their only loss of the season.

“Just the overall efficiency of the offense,” Newton said when asked what the offense needed to work on this week. “At times it’s fun to watch. At times it’s like, ah, we’re one assignment away. Whether it’s an overthrown ball, an errant throw, somebody came free in protection, a dropped pass. I stress it all the time about how every person has to do everything they’re supposed to do on the offensive side to make things work.”

Even with all the work, Newton remained in good spirits. Coach Ron Rivera noticed it, too.

“I’d be in a good mood, too,” Rivera said, “if I got the weekend completely off.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton preparing for weekend with Chosen, friends."