This is the last thing Panthers fans wanted to see after Week 2 loss

The Cam Newton/Greg Olsen embrace on Sunday Night Football couldn’t have come at a worse time for fans of the Carolina Panthers.

This is probably the last thing that fans of the Carolina Panthers wanted to see just a few short hours after their Week 2 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With the Carolina Panthers’ loyal base of supporters still reeling from their less than stellar display against an NFC South rival, it was time for two former players to take center stage on Sunday Night Football when the New England Patriots traveled to the Seattle Seahawks.

The individuals in question were, of course, quarterback Cam Newton and tight end Greg Olsen.

Newton and Olsen played a significant role in Carolina’s rise to prominence over the last decade. The duo developed incredible chemistry on the field and it was evident that their friendship will stand the test of time if Sunday’s pre-game embrace was any indication.

The embrace was tough to take for Carolina Panthers fans.

For Panthers fans, it was heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure.

The look on Newton’s face when he spotted Olsen in the pre-game warmups was a sight to behold. The 2015 NFL MVP quickly ran over to his former tight end for an emotional embrace and a few words were exchanged before both carried on with their preparations.

The mutual respect and love were there for all to see in no uncertain terms.

And all Carolina’s fanbase could do was look on.

Olsen eventually came away with the win after a thriller that saw the Seahawks eventually prevail 35-30. Newton almost led his team on a sensational comeback before coming up narrowly short as he continued his electrifying start to life in a new environment.

Whether fans agreed with the decisions regarding Newton and Olsen departing the franchise is a moot point at this stage. Big changes were inevitable as the Panthers began their pursuit of becoming relevant once again. But there is a distinct lack of attachment between the roster and its supporters’ thanks to COVID-19 health restrictions preventing them to attend and the number of established stars they once worshipped no longer with the organization.

Newton and Olsen will go down in Panthers’ folklore as two of the best players to ever turn out for the team. Nobody is going to be rooting for them more than those who idolized them in Carolina. But this was the worst possible timing and has heightened frustrations with some about what sort of direction they are currently going in.

It hurts, that is more than understandable.

What comes next for all parties involved is going to be key and will go a long way to determining whether the Panthers’ decision to start afresh was the right one. Newton and Olsen are clearly done looking back, which is more than can be said for those who worshiped the dynamic pair in their prime.