Cam Newton: Return to the Carolina Panthers

With the NFL in week 12, the season is in full swing and there are only 5 more games left of the regular season. Some teams are obvious favorites to move into the playoffs, while other teams have their last chance to sneak up the leaderboard and clinch a playoff spot. Key players being traded throughout this past season have affected the playoff chances of certain teams. One of them stands out in particular: The Carolina Panthers and their decision to resign Cam Newton.
Cameron Jerrell Newton, also known as Cam Newton or “Super Cam”, came into the NFL as the first overall pick in 2011. His college career was no short of victories, where he won the Heisman Trophy and the 2011 National Championship at Auburn. As soon as he signed with the Carolina Panthers, he continued to break records leading the rookie records for passing and rushing yards for a quarterback, eventually leading him to be NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Many people say that his 2015 season was the peak of his career, where he was named the league’s MVP and led his team to Super Bowl 50. Unfortunately, from 2017 onwards, the Panthers continued to struggle and missed the playoffs multiple times, and Cam Newton faced numerous injuries. Because of this he was released from the Panthers and signed by the New England Patriots for the 2020 season. After a mediocre season with New England, plagued with a positive COVID-19 test in between, his time was cut short and he was released on August 31, 2021, right before the start of the 2021 NFL season.
Fortunately, the Carolina Panthers offered Cam Newton another chance. On November 11, 2021, he re-signed with his former team, because of an injury from Sam Darnold, the original starting quarterback. NFL fans were elated to see him return to his home and were excited to see his passion and leadership inspire the rest of his teammates. Starting in his first game, he was able to score two touchdowns on his first plays and helped the team to a 34-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He continued to help his team score three more touchdowns against Washington Football Team, even though the game resulted in a Panthers loss. On November 28, 2021, his great beginning with his second stint on the Carolina Panthers came to a halt with the blowout loss to Miami, 33-10, where he threw two interceptions and had a lackluster 23.8 completion percentage, eventually leading him to be benched for the fourth quarter of the game. Clearly, his return to his home team will not be an easy road to victory, and he will have to continue to work to earn his place on the team.
When asked about his opinion about Carolina’s decision to re-sign Cam, Shaan Patel (12) explains that he thinks “It was a need-based decision that will pay off because Sam Darnold wasn’t throwing well down the stretch of the season.” He also thinks that “Cam will bring a sense of leadership and hopefully spark the offense.” Meanwhile, other students think this decision was the right move. Chirag Shetty (12) claimed that “he’s good for the fans in bringing up excitement.” Similarly, Navan Kothari (12) agrees that “people love Cam’s energy and that’s what can get a team going. And his leadership is valuable.” Navan Kothari (12) has Cam Newton on his fantasy football team and says that “because of Cam’s ability to run, he can be a viable QB to play every week, but he still isn’t the best because his throwing abilities are limited. I picked him up but traded him for good values.” When asked about whether or not the Panthers will make the playoffs this season based on the re-signing of their star quarterback, mixed reviews were given. Shaan Patel (12) is definite in his opinion, claiming that “the Saints will fall off based on the way they have been playing and the Panthers can contend for a wild card spot.” Elian Fabbrini (12) does not have a certain mindset yet. He argues that “with the way it has been going, they have a chance, but Cam Newton has to prove that his success at the moment is something that is consistent and not a one-time thing.” On the other hand, Chirag Shetty (12) isn’t feeling too confident about the Panthers’ playoff hopes this season explaining that “It is a possibility, but I don’t think they will make it because the NFC South is too close.”
It is evident that Cam Newton’s NFL career has been nothing close to easy and challenges are thrown his way every day. With the setbacks he has had over his career, he has continued to remain confident in his playing abilities and is ready for whatever is thrown his way next. NFL fans will have to wait and see how he picks up the pieces of his team for the remainder of the season. The Panthers are heading into a bye week and hopefully, they can recover from the major loss to Miami. Regardless of the outcome, it is clear that Carolina is Cam’s home, and he is back where he belongs.