Examining the impact of Cam Newton’s release one-year on
By Dean Jones
It is one year since the Carolina Panthers released Cam Newton. But what is the lasting impact of this bombshell decision?
Today marks the first anniversary of Cam Newton’s messy departure from the Carolina Panthers. The iconic signal-caller was shown the door by the organization at a time when there were few starting opportunities available elsewhere, which led to a significant amount of backlash from the team’s fanbase who’d worshipped him from the moment he stepped foot onto the field.
A lot has happened in the last 12 months for Newton and the Panthers.
Carolina moved forward with free-agent signing Teddy Bridgewater with mixed success. This resulted in another 5-11 record that would have looked far different had the signal-caller not gone 0-8 on game-winning or tying drives during the campaign.
As for Newton, he managed to get another starting gig with the New England Patriots, who relinquished their stranglehold on the AFC East to the Buffalo Bills and missed the playoffs entirely while Tom Brady scooped yet another Super Bowl during his first year under center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers are both at a crossroads.
Both sides appear at a crossroads one-year removed from their acrimonious split. The Panthers have made no secret of their desire to move on from Bridgewater after just one season and had they not been pipped at the 11th hour for Matthew Stafford by the Los Angeles Rams, then the former Louisville standout would now be on the Detroit Lions.
With the likelihood of landing Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans growing slimmer with every passing day, Carolina is left with either hoping one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft falls to them at No. 8 or they make a bold move up to get their player of choice.
This isn’t exactly what Carolina envisaged when they alienated a percentage of their support by ditching Newton in favor of Bridgewater.
Giving the player a three-year, $63 million deal with a $15 million signing bonus and $33 million guaranteed was even worse.
Newton’s first season in New England started brightly before a bout of COVID-19 changed everything for the 2015 NFL MVP. He freely admits that the virus took some time to get over and although the dual-threat weapon was still a force running the football, his distribution left a lot to be desired down the stretch.
Bill Belichick is not ready to give up on Newton just yet. The Patriots gave him a one-year extension and plenty of playmakers who should make things easier in 2021, so there will be no more excuses where the former Auburn sensation is concerned regarding poor performance.
There is also plenty of speculation swirling around regarding a possible trade up for a top college quarterback. This would be unlike Belichick, but there is an increased sense of urgency at Foxborough following Brady’s triumph in Tampa Bay at the first time of asking.
Will the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton ever patch things up?
There appears to still be some resentment where Newton is concerned, which is understandable after everything he gave the organization. His arrival as the No. 1 overall selection in 2011 transformed the Panthers from also-rans to legitimate contenders with a national spotlight and although this glittering period narrowly missed out on the team’s inaugural Super Bowl, that does not detract from what an influence the signal-caller became on and off the field.
Owner David Tepper vowed to “bring the other guy home one day”, which indicates they will offer Newton the chance to retire as a Panther. It doesn’t appear like he’s ready to hang it up just yet, so a little more water under the bridge might see this eventuality come to pass down the road.
The fractious relationship with fans is also on the mend. Much will depend on what the Panthers do at quarterback from here given Bridgewater’s struggles. But it is a decision they simply have to get right either way.
Newton’s departure was always going to come with ramifications. How they handled it was awful and something they’d probably like to have back, but as the old saying goes – they’ve made their bed, now they have to lie in it.
It’s been a helluva year for all parties involved in this saga.
Where Carolina and Newton go from here from a relationship standpoint remains to be seen. But it would be nice for them to patch things up at some stage so he can come back and rightfully take his place among the all-time greats in franchise history.
And who knows? Maybe there might be a little more added to Newton’s legacy before then.