Cam Newton

At 35 years old, Cam Newton has this physical status:

Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. (NFL)

He played college football at both Florida and Auburn.

In the 2011 NFL Draft, he was selected as the first overall pick by the Panthers.

Newton is the first overall pick in an NFL draft in a single year. Heisman Trophy, win a national championship, and become the first overall pick in a one-year span.

He was the 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year, a three-time Pro Bowler, and was named the NFL MVP in 2015. Newton set all-time NFL rookie records for passing and rushing yards in his rookie year.

In his first game, he became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 400 yards, beating Peyton Manning's first-game record by 120 yards.

In his debut in football, Otto Graham tied for the most passing yards by any quarterback.

Newton went on to become the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

He also ran for 14 touchdowns in a single season than any quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Steve Grogan's 35-year-old record.

Newton, along with Steve McNair and Patrick Mahomes, is one of only three African-American quarterbacks to win AP NFL MVP.

Early life and education

Newton was born in Atlanta on May 11, 1989. He is the son of Jackie and Cecil Newton Sr., a safety for the 1983 Dallas Cowboys and 1984 Buffalo Bills, and Cecil Newton, a center who played in football. Caylin, his younger brother, was the quarterback for the Howard Bison in the mid-2010s.

Newton, as a youth, was a natural baseball and basketball player, but he grew afraid of being struck by a pitch in baseball and was unable to avoid foul trouble on the basketball court. He began playing baseball at 14 years old and then resigned basketball shortly after starting high school. Newton earned a sociology degree at Auburn University in 2015.

Personal life

Kia Proctor, Newton's ex-girlfriend, has four children.

Newton fathered a son with an Instagram account months before his fourth child with Proctor was born in mid-2019. As a result of the incident, Newton and Proctor's proctor broke later this year.

Newton was a self-proclaimed pescetarian. He has officially declared himself a vegan as of March 2019. A few dietitians have reported that the change in diet may have slowed his injury recovery the following season, particularly if not done properly.

Newton is a Christian. Since winning the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, he spoke about his faith, saying, "It's just a God thing." Every single day, I thank God for His work. I'm just His instrument, and He uses me on a daily basis."

Newton was involved in a car accident in Charlotte on December 9, 2014, where his car was flipped and broke his back, and he sustained two back fractures.

Newton's regular routine during the season includes awakening at 4 a.m., leaving the house at 4:30 a.m., and sleeping at 11:30 p.m.

Newton collaborated with Belk's Southern department store chain Belk on his own clothing line, MADE by Cam Newton.

Newton's cigar bar and restaurant Fellaship officially opened in May 2019 at Olympic Park Drive Dr. near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

Newton, in addition to his football contribution, is involved in motivational speaking and has founded a non-profit that focuses on youth's "emotional, physical, and social needs."

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High school career

Newton played for the Westlake High School Football Team in Atlanta. He passed for 2,500 yards and 23 touchdowns, as well as 638 yards and nine touchdowns, attracting the attention of major college programs. Rivals.com, a five-star prospect in Newton's senior year, ranked him as the No. 1 in the United Kingdom. 2 dual-throwat quarterbacks in the country, as well as the 14th quarterback and 28th overall. He received scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech. At the start of his senior year, he committed to the University of Florida, making him one of the country's top-rated recruiting class for 2007.

College career

Newton was a student at the University of Florida, where he was a member of the Florida Gators football team in 2007 and 2008. Urban Meyer, then-head coach Urban Meyer, was a student at the University of Florida. Newton defeated fellow freshman quarterback John Brantley in 2007 as the back-up for eventual Heisman Trophy champion Tim Tebow. He appeared in five games, throwing for 40 yards on 5-of-10 and rushing 16 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns. Newton played in the season opener against Hawaii in 2008 but recovered from an ankle injury and began a medical redshirt season.

Newton was arrested on November 21, 2008, on suspicion of stealing a laptop computer from another University of Florida student. He was then suspended from the team. "The laptop was robbed to the student," a campus policeman said. "Newton threw the computer out his dorm window in a cynical attempt to hide it from cops." Newton's charges against him were dropped after he completed a court-approved pre-trial diversion program. "I think that a person should not be considered a bad person because of some senseless blunder they made," Newton said in 2010. "Every person should have a second chance." If they get a second shot, why not them?" Newton reported that he will graduate from Florida three days before the Gators' national championship victory over Oklahoma. Newton's Athletic Director, Thayer Evans, announced in November 2010 that prior to moving, the University of Florida had been barred from the University of Florida for three instances of academic misconduct.

Newton matriculated in January 2009 to play for head coach Brad Franchione, son of Dennis Franchione. He led his team to the 2009 NJCAA National Football Championship, throwing for 2,833 yards with 22 touchdowns and 655 yards. He was named a Juco All-America honorable mention and was the most recruited Juco quarterback in the United States, and he was the most coveted Juco quarterback in the country. Newton was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's top quarterback from high school or junior college, and was the only five-star recruit. Oklahoma, Mississippi State, and Auburn were the three finalists in Newton's recruiting process. He later signed with the Auburn Tigers.

Newton won a home win over Arkansas State on September 4, 2010 in the first game of Auburn University's 2010 season. Newton had 186 passing yards, 171 passing yards, and five total offensive touchdowns. Following his success in the 52–26 win, he was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Newton defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 35–27 in their second break-out game with 158 passing yards, 176 passing yards, and five total touchdowns. Auburn defeated Louisiana-Monroe 53-0 on October 2, 133 to be. He made three touchdown passes, one of which went for 94 yards to Emory Blake. It was the longest touchdown pass and offensive play in school history. Auburn defeated Kentucky 37–34 on October 9, with Newton leading Auburn to a 37–34 victory over them. He went for 210 yards and rushed for 198 yards, with four touchdowns on the way. Newton passed for 188 passing yards and three rushing touchdowns during the Arkansas game on October 16, defeating 65–43. Following these performances, media outlets began to feature Newton among the top five candidates for the Heisman Trophy.

Auburn defeated the LSU Tigers 24–17 on October 23, Newton led Auburn to a 24–17 victory. He rushed for 217 yards in the game, giving him 1,077 yards on the season and setting a new SEC record for yards rushing by a quarterback, a record that hadn't been held for more than 40 years. Newton was only the second quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in the conference's history after this game. He also tied for the most touchdowns in a single season for the first time since 1971. Both of these records were broken on the same play: Newton escaped two tackles, corrected himself with his arm, escaped two more tackles, and pulled a defender into the endzone for the touchdown. Newton's "Heisman moment" was portrayed in the play. Auburn also received the first No. 10 in the United States. Newton was the overall favorite for the Heisman in the BCS rankings, ranked 1 on a top-down BCS ranking, with Newton ranked as the overall favorite for the Heisman. Newton scored on a 20-yard receiving touchdown on a trick play in the next game against Ole Miss.

Newton made history by beating Georgia by halftime of the season in a single season. Auburn extended its winning streak to 11–0 and clinched the SEC West, allowing them to play in the SEC Championship game. After being down 24–0, Newton led Auburn to a 28-27 victory over Alabama in the Iron Bowl. The 24-point victory was the first in the program's 117-year history. He passed for 216 yards with three passing touchdowns and another on the track.

Newton led the Tigers to an SEC Championship on December 4, 2010, their first since 2004, by defeating South Carolina 5-17, a SEC Championship Game record for most points scored and the largest margin of victory. Newton was voted game MVP after passing for a season-high 335 yards and scoring a career-best six total touchdowns, four passing and two rushing. Newton made history by becoming the third player in NCAA FBS history to throw and run for 20-plus touchdowns in a single season, joining Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick, who reached the milestone earlier this year. Newton was named both the 2010 SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the 2010 AP Player of the Year. He was one of four finalists for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, which he won in a landslide victory. Newton was the third Auburn player to win the Heisman Trophy (along with Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson).

Auburn was invited to participate in the school's first BCS National Championship Game following the success in the SEC Championship. Auburn played against the Oregon Ducks in Glendale, Arizona, on January 10, 2011. Auburn beat Oregon 21-19 to win the BCS National Championship, in a game that Steve Spurrier predicted would score as high as 60-55. Newton passed for 262 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He rushed for 65 yards but lost a fumble that later allowed Oregon to tie the game with limited time remaining. Newton carried the Tigers down the field to win the game on Wes Byrum's last-second field goal. Newton was upstaged by colleague Michael Dyer, the game's Offensive MVP and Auburn's defense, which held the high-powered Oregon ground game to just 75 yards on January 13, three days after winning the BCS National Championship, according to media reports.

Newton spent much of the 2010 football season embroiled in controversies surrounding allegations that his father, Cecil Newton, had requested substantial sums of money in exchange for his son's participation in a major college football team in violation of National Collegiate Athletic Association rules. Several Mississippi State University athletic boosters announced to the public that despite recruiting his son out of Blinn College a year earlier, Cecil Newton said it would take more than a scholarship" to guarantee his son's services in early November 2010. Kenny Rogers, a former Mississippi State football player, alerted fellow boosters and former teammates Bill Bell and John Bond that this request was made. Cecil Newton's son would transfer to Mississippi State in a Dallas radio interview, according to Rogers. Auburn maintained throughout the probe, which had been ongoing for several months before the public was alerted that it was not involved in any pay-for-play scheme, and that Cam Newton was perfectly eligible to play.

After the NCAA discovered evidence that Cecil Newton solicited Mississippi State $120,000 to $180,000 in exchange for Cam Newton's athletic service, a breach of amateurism, Auburn declared him ineligible on November 30. Auburn immediately applied to have him reinstated on the grounds that Kenny Rogers could not be regarded as an agent and that Cam Newton was unaware of his father's unlawful conduct. The NCAA endorsed Auburn and restored Newton the next day, claiming there were no convincing reasons that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn knew about Cecil Newton's existence three days later. Cecil Newton was later restricted to the program as a result of the NCAA's findings. Cecil Newton also confirmed that he would not attend the Heisman Trophy Ceremony due to increased media coverage and the NCAA probe. Cecil Newton's reopening did not have any wrongdoing; it did, however, announce Cam Newton's eligibility as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy, which he won in a landslide victory with 2,263 points and 729 first-place votes.

The NCAA officially ended its 13-month probe into Cam Newton recruitment, being unable to support or suspect any allegation of illicit recruitment by Auburn, and finding that Cecil Newton only requested a cash transfer from Mississippi State and no other party trying to recruit his son. The probe, which included more than 50 interviews and the review of many bank documents, IRS papers, telephone numbers, and e-mail messages, resulted in no findings that would indicate Auburn participated in any pay-for-play situation in signing Cam Newton. According to the NCAA, the allegations failed to "meet a burden of evidence," a higher degree than rampant public skepticism on television and in the media, and that the allegations were not based on credible and persuasive data." "We've done everything we can do," NCAA head Stacey Osburn said. We've all done the interviews. We've looked into it and there's nothing there. If something new comes to light that is trustworthy and we should pay attention to, it's concluded."

Professional career

Newton began working out with George Whitfield Jr. in San Diego in late January 2011. Whitfield has worked with other quarterbacks, such as Ben Roethlisberger and Akili Smith. Newton was drafted with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers on April 28, 2011. He was the first reigning Heisman Trophy winner to finish first overall since Carson Palmer in 2003. He was also Auburn's fourth No. 4. Tucker Frederickson (1965), Bo Jackson (1986), and Aundray Bruce (1988) are among the examples selected after Tucker Frederickson (1965). He was Blinn College's fifth recruiter and the first in school history to be selected in the first round.

He was out for up to 12 hours a day at the IMG Madden Football Academy in Bradenton, Florida, spending up to two hours a day with fellow Heisman Trophy winner and ex-Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke.

After Newton told Richardson that he had no tattoos or piercings and was considering growing his hair longer, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson begged him to keep his clean appearance before the draft. Richardson's role was questioned due to the fact that other players on the team did not follow these rules. Even Richardson was accused of bigotry by Dave Zirin, a CNN reporter. Despite this, Newton obeyed Richardson's demands and was ranked first overall. Since Richardson sold the team to David Tepper, Newton's hair will eventually grow out longer.

Newton signed a four-year contract with the Carolina Panthers worth over $22 million on July 29, 2011. After unsuccessfully negotiating with quarterback Jimmy Clausen for the No. Newton, who wore 2 jerseys at Auburn, has decided not to wear the No. 67 jersey. After the draft, the Panthers had drafted 1 jersey. Mike Shula, the former head football coach of Alabama's college rival Alabama, was his quarterback. He was named the Panthers' starting quarterback a month later on September 1, 2011, ahead of Derek Anderson and Clausen.

Newton was 24–37 passing for 422 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in his NFL debut game against the Arizona Cardinals on September 11, 2011. He also scored a touchdown and became the first rookie to throw for at least 400 yards in his first game as a quarterback. On the first day, Peyton Manning's rookie record for most passing yards was broken by his 422 passing yards.

Newton lost by 30–23 points in his second game, defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, breaking his own record of 432 yards passing, throwing, and running for a touchdown. Newton's 854 passing yards in the first two games of the season, the most in league history by a rookie, tied for 827 yards by Kurt Warner in the 2000 season, the most by a quarterback in the first two weeks of the season. Tom Brady of New England broke the record by 940 on Sunday. He also became the first player to start his career with consecutive 400-yard passing games, and tied for the Carolina Panthers franchise record of 547 yards, which was previously held by Steve Beuerlein. "I think someone said in the locker room that I'm kind of glad we played him early in the season because if he figures it out completely, it's going to be even harder to stop." Following Newton's second career game, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, "I think it's going to be even harder to avoid." Newton's three more interceptions against the Packers tied him for the most interceptions in the league. He had 1,012 passing yards in the first three games.

The Panthers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 16–10. It was their first victory of the season on the track, and they lost their first game of the season. Newton threw for 158 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31–17 while passing for 237 yards with no passing touchdowns. Newton won by 2–20 over the Washington Redskins on Week 7, bringing his team's record to 2–5. He passed for 256 yards and one touchdown, making 18 of his 23 attempts. He also passed for 59 yards and a touchdown, with one running for 25 yards. Cam's average passer rating was 127.5, his highest ever. Newton was the fourth rookie quarterback to pass for over 3,000 yards in his first season with Carolina's victory over the Indianapolis Colts. In the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Newton set a record for quarterbacks on December 4, 2011, rushing for his 13th touchdown of the season. The monumental appearance was part of a 38-19 victory and three rushing touchdowns, which were part of a career-high three rushing touchdowns. He also intercepted a 27-yard pass from wide receiver Legedu Naanee, making him a triple threat in that game. Newton received his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award after his Week 13 appearance against the Buccaneers. Newton threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns, as well as rushing for 65 yards and a touchdown on December 24, 2011, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-16. In the process, he tied Peyton Manning's record of 3,739 yards passing for a rookie. Newton threw for 158 yards against the New Orleans Saints on January 1, 2012, making him the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards. He had 4,051 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in his rookie season. In addition, he ran 126 times for 706 yards and 14 touchdowns. The 14 rushing touchdowns were a NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a single season by a quarterback. Before Robert Griffin III broke the record for a single season, his 706 rushing yards were a rookie record for a single season. Newton was 0-10 when he had no turnovers over the season, but the team went 6–0; when he had no turnovers.

After the New York Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship in January 22, 2012, Newton was selected to be to the Pro Bowl on January 22, 2012. Newton was one of the three quarterbacks for the NFC to be selected, and with Newton being named as the NFC alternate later in December, Newton was able to play in the Pro Bowl with Manning going to the Super Bowl. With two touchdowns and three interceptions, he finished the Pro Bowl with 186 yards, three interceptions, and three interceptions. On February 4, 2012, Newton was named both AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. After Sam Bradford won the AP Rookie of the Year in a straight fashion, he became the second straight number one pick to win the AP Rookie of the Year. He was also the first Panther to win the Offensive award, but he was also the second Panther rookie of the year, after Julius Peppers, who was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002. On the inaugural NFL Honors award show, Cam was named Asfensive Rookie of the Year, and Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year, with 47 of the 50 possible votes going to Andy Dalton. He was accepted to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, making him the third Panther quarterback to win this award, joining Kerry Collins (1995) and Chris Weinke (2001). With his 49-yard touchdown against the Buccaneers (5) and his touchdown fumblerooski to Richie Brockel against the Houston Texans, he also earned the number five and two plays of the year. Due to his touchdown celebration, he was named Superman. Newton was rated as the 40th top player in the NFL by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Player List. His rookie season was when he began the Carolina Panther tradition "Sunday Giveaway," where the Panthers offensive players normally give away the football they just scored to kids in the stands.

In the 16–10 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Newton began his second season with 303 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Newton and the Panthers went on a five-game losing streak after leading the team to a 35–27 victory over New Orleans in Week 2. Newton threw for a season-high 314 passing yards in the 23-22 loss to the Chicago Bears in the last game of the losing streak. The Panthers lost three of their next five games to finish third, resulting in a standing of 3–9. It was one of Newton's most effective games of the season at the end of the season. In Week 12, he passed for 306 yards and two passing touchdowns, as well as two rushing touchdowns, winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week. In the 27-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13, he had 232 passing yards and three passing touchdowns to go along with 78 rushing yards. He had a career-high 116 passing yards and a rushing touchdown to go along with 287 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in Week 14, a 30-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The win over the Falcons was the start of a four-game winning streak to end the season. However, the team's difficult first half of the season was too much to bear for them. He had 3,869 passing yards, 19 interceptions, 741 passing yards, and eight rushing touchdowns in his second professional season. The Panthers won the season at 7–9. Despite the fact that some people might think of him as a "Sophomore Slump," he did excel in several statistical areas, increased in his effectiveness, and cut back on his turnover. Cam's noticeable decline in running touchdowns was partially due to the Panthers' signing Mike Tolbert before the season. On the season, Tolbert, a versatile fullback, had seven rushing touchdowns. Newton led the league in Yards Per Competency (13.8) and was tied for second with Peyton Manning in Yards Per Caption (8.0) behind Robert Griffin III. Newton was rated as the 46th best player by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013 list.

Newton and the Panthers got off to a slow start in 2013 with a 1–3 record. The Panthers were on an eight-game winning streak beginning in Week 5. Newton was consistent in this stretch, throwing 216.4 yards per game, 13 passing touchdowns, and six interceptions to go along with 62 passes for 324 yards and five rushing touchdowns. In Week 13, the Panthers' winning streak came to an end with a 31-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. They won the last three games to finish with a 12–4 record and earn a first round bye in the playoffs. He had 3,379 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 585 running yards, and six rushing touchdowns during the regular season. Newton was selected for the 2014 Pro Bowl. In the Divisional Round, he lost his first NFL playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers the week before. He had 267 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions to go along with 54 rushing yards in the 23–10 loss. Newton was drafted third in the first annual Pro Bowl Draft by Team Sanders. Newton was ranked as the 24th best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list.

Newton underwent surgery to "tighten" his ankle ligaments, which Newton admitted he had been suffering with since his freshman days at Auburn University. According to his uncle, he missed training camp and the first preseason game because his recovery time was estimated to be four months. After a tackle by Jamie Collins during his third preseason game against the New England Patriots, Newton sustained a hairline fracture in his ribs. During Newton's opening game 20-14 over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers snapped an undefeated streak. In Week 2, Newton made his Carolina Panthers home opener against the Detroit Lions. En route to a 24-7 victory, he ran 300 yards on offense with a touchdown, no turnover, and a 100.2 quarterback rating.

Newton had an 110.8 quarterback rating against the blitz in his first three appearances on the season. Newton led the Panthers from a 14-point deficit during Week 5 against the Chicago Bears and was named to the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Team of the Week for his efforts. Greg Cosell, senior producer of NFL Films, and Pre Snap Reads columnist and founder Cian Fahey all praised Newton's steady growth as a pocket passer. Newton was on 91% of the offense during the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 637-37 tie, with two touchdowns and an interceptor, as well as 17 running attempts for 107 yards and a rushing touchdown, the most since the 2012 Week 14 victory over Atlanta, where he had 116 on nine carries. Newton averaged 2.53 seconds to try a pass (2.73 in 2013) and has had the ball out in under 2.5 seconds on 58% of his fall-backs (40% in 2013). In a 41–10 victory over the New Orleans Saints, Newton had perhaps his best game of the season. Newton made 21–33 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday. He also had 83 passing yards and one rushing touchdown. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the game, and Newton has had four games with at least 200 passing yards and 80 rushing yards, as well as a rushing touchdown. That is the most similar games in NFL history. Newton was involved in a well-known automobile accident in which he fractured two vertebrae in his lower back two days after the Saints game. He played just one game and returned to the field a week later to lead the Cleveland Browns in the final end-of-season battle and once again make the playoffs.

Newton led the Panthers to their first back-to-back division titles in the NFC South after the division's inception and made him the first quarterback since Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham were the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards. Newton also tied John Elway, Otto Graham, and Y. A. Tittle for his 10th touchdown reception by a quarterback with 33 touchdowns. Newton also ranked second in the NFL in December with 14 wins over the previous four years, behind Tom Brady, who had four victories in December. Newton's 33 touchdowns were the most by a quarterback in his first four seasons. He is also the first player in NFL history to have 10,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in his first four seasons and the first to have at least 500 passing yards in four seasons.

Newton led the Panthers to their first playoff victory in nine years over the Arizona Cardinals, throwing for 198 yards and two touchdowns while running for 35 yards this week. In the Divisional Round, the Seattle Seahawks defeated Newton and the Panthers 31–17. Newton was 23-36 for 245 yards, with two touchdowns, two interceptions, and 37 passing yards. Newton was voted the 73rd best player in the NFL on the top 100 Players of 2015. Despite missing two games and dealing with ankle, rib, throwing hand, and back injuries throughout the entire season.

The Panthers and Newton also agreed to a five-year, $103.8 million contract extension on June 2, 2015. Newton was rated as the best quarterback in PFF during the 2015 season. Newton finished with 175 yards passing, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing for 35 yards during the Jacksonville Jaguars' season-opener. Newton's first NFL opening-day triumph (the Panthers won their opener in 2014 with an injured Newton on the sidelines). Newton passed for 195 yards, two passing touchdowns, and one interception during the Panthers' Week 2 victory over the Houston Texans, while running for 76 yards and one touchdown. Newton went for 315 yards and two passing touchdowns to go along with a rushing touchdown in week three against the New Orleans Saints. It was his 26th game in Newton's career in which he had a passing and a running touchdown, placing second all-time in NFL history behind only Steve Young (31). Newton also scored two-plus touchdown passes and at least one rushing touchdown, his third-most in the NFL since 1960, behind only Steve Young (175) and Fran Tarkenton (16). Newton accounted for 76% of the Panthers' total offensive yards and 88% of the total touchdowns in the first three games of the season. Newton led the Panthers to a 3–0 start, the first time they had done so since the 2003 NFL Season. Newton's continuing success as a quarterback, according to several analysts; Gil Brandt cited Newton's rising internal clock, mechanics, and ability to read defenses; Cian Fahey wrote about Newton's evolution into a versatile pocket passer with the ability to diversify any offense with the ability to diversify any offense with a multidimensional run game. Newton went 11 of 22 passing for 124 yards and two touchdowns while leading the team in rushes with 51 yards for the first time since 2003. Newton finished third in the NFL in rushes for first downs during the first four weeks as a rusher.

Newton led the Panthers to victory over the Seattle Seahawks after a Week 4 bye. It was just the third home Seahawks loss in the Russell Wilson period. It was also the first franchise victory in Seattle and Newton's ninth straight victory in the fourth quarter. Newton also scored his 36th career rushing touchdown of his career during the game; during that time, only Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson were the only players to reach more rushing touchdowns since 2011. Newton made a career-high 67 percent of passes under pressure in the first five weeks of the season. Newton led the Panthers to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last week, setting their first 6–0 record in franchise history; during the game, he threw three interceptions and scored his 28th game with a running touchdown and a passing touchdown. Newton threw for 248 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception as the Panthers advanced to 7–0 in Week 8, defeating the Indianapolis Colts. Newton became the first quarterback to win in football in the first week.

Newton led the Panthers to their first 8-0 start in franchise history with a 37–29 victory over the Green Bay Packers; Newton went 15-30 for 297 yards passing, three touchdowns, and one interception. Newton also threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a single half for the first time in his career. Newton was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Packers. Newton went 21 for 26 yards and 1 passing touchdown on the following week, leading to 24 rushes for 23 yards and 1 rushing touchdown. Newton began the game with 11 straight completions, tying his highest single game ever (vs. Buccaneers on 11/18/12). Newton led the Panthers to a 44-16 win over the Washington Redskins the following week. Newton threw for a career-high five touchdowns and 25+ rushing touchdowns in his first five seasons. Newton was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this week for his efforts. Newton completed 16-of-27 passes for 183 yards, including going 8-of-16 on third downs, and rushed 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown during the Panthers' 33-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Newton finished with 380 total passing yards and five touchdown passes during the Panthers' 41–38 win over the Saints. He was 10 of 14 for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He was instrumental in the Panthers' undefeated first 12 games on a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive. Newton was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in five weeks for his appearances. While quarterbacking the Patriots in an undefeated regular season, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots won three player of the week awards in five weeks. Newton completed 15 of 21 passes for 265 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and finished with a career-high quarterback rating of 153.3 this week. In just the first quarter of the game, the Panthers completed 225 yards of offense, a franchise record. Newton ran for 340 yards and 5 passing touchdowns while still adding 8 rushes for 100 yards in his third game with at least 100 rushing yards during the Panthers' thrilling 38–35 victory over the New York Giants. Newton was also the Panthers' sixth game-winning drive and their fourth of the season. Newton was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week once more for his efforts. Newton was the first player to win the award in seven weeks since San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.

Newton led the Panthers to a 14–0 record in the first 15 weeks of the NFL season. He also threw the second most touchdown passes and led the NFL with 40 combined passing and rushing touchdowns during his time in the league. After the snap, Newton was on the field for 660 of Carolina's 923 plays, in which he was either the decision maker or ball carrier. In addition, Newton had the second-lowest percentage of passing yards gained after the catch among NFL quarterbacks and 40 of Carolina's 49 touchdowns this season were either blocked or run by Newton.

In their second divisional matchup, the Panthers suffered their first setback when they lost 20–13 away to the Atlanta Falcons. Newton was 17 of 30 for 142 yards in the loss. Newton led to his season-best completion percentage (80.8%) in a 38–10 victory over the Buccaneers in the regular-season finale, while adding two touchdowns and his first game with two rushing touchdowns since Week 12 of the 2012 season. His passer rating of 139.3 was his second-best mark on record all season. For his efforts, he was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the fifth time this season. Newton became the first player to win five NFC Offensive Player of the Week awards in a nine-week stretch in a season, and his five honors tied for the most in a season in NFL history (Tom Brady, 2007). In 2015, Cam Newton led NFL quarterbacks in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and running touchdowns. Newton's 45 total touchdowns during the regular season were the most touchdowns by a single player since 2013. Newton was named as the 2015 NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year by the PFWA.

Newton and the Panthers finished the season with a 15-1 record, a franchise record, and the Panthers secured a first-round bye in the playoffs. Despite barely blowing a 31–0 lead, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Arizona Cardinals 49–15 in the NFC Championship game against the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Newton finished 19 of 28 passes for 335 yards, with two touchdowns and one interceptor. In addition, he rushed ten times for 47 yards and two touchdowns. In a single NFC Championship, he was the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for multiple touchdowns. The Panthers' 49 points were the most in the NFC Championship's history.

Newton was named NFL MVP on February 6, 2016, and he was named as the nation's best player on February 6, 2016. Newton was the second African-American quarterback to be honoured after Steve McNair in 2003 and the first sole recipient after McNair shared his award with Peyton Manning. Newton received his third Pro Bowl nomination and First-Team All-Pro accolades. The Panthers lost by a score of 24–10. In Super Bowl 50, which pitted the Panthers' top-ranked offense against the Broncos' top-ranked defense, the Panthers' top-ranked offense was pitted against the Broncos' top-ranked defense. Up to a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, the game was largely a one-score affair. Both teams' defenses did well, and both offenses' defenses suffered terribly throughout the game. Newton was fired six times and Manning was fired five times, both quarterbacks fumbled twice, and neither quarterback threw an interceptor. The Broncos' first fumble culminated in the Broncos' first touchdown, and the second came late in the fourth quarter on another strip from Miller, setting the Broncos up with a first-and-goal touchdown.

Newton was rated as the best player in the NFL by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016. Newton has sold the 7th most items from March 2015 to February 2016.

Newton set two of Steve Young's NFL records, one for the most career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with his 44th, and the other for the most games with a passing and rushing touchdown in his 32nd season. This was also Otto Graham's all-time professional American football record of 44 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. In the 21-20 loss, he passed for 194 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interceptor to go along with 11 runs for 54 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He had 353 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in the next game, defeating the San Francisco 49ers by 46–27. In Week 4, Newton sustained a concussion on a two-point conversion run and missed the remainder of the game. Newton was unable to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the next game. Newton was suspended for the first offensive sequence against the Seattle Seahawks on December 4, for a dress code infringement. It was Newton's first professional game, other than his first preseason game in 2011, in which he started the game as the backup.

Newton made 52.9 percent of his passes in the 2016 season, his lowest mark in that category. He had 19 touchdown passes, 16 less than the previous year, and 14 interceptions, the second most offensive play in his career behind his rookie season. In 2016, the Panthers fell from their 15–1 record to a 6–10 record. Despite a downturn in 2016, Newton was still ranked 44th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

Newton underwent surgery on March 30 to repair a partially torn rotator cuff on his throwing shoulder.

During a press conference on October 4, Newton was asked by Jourdan Rodrigue, a female sportswriter for The Charlotte Observer, about passing routes. "It's funny to hear a female talk about routes," Newton smirked. When she asked, he answered her. Rodrigue's remarks, as well as many in the media, were viewed as sexist. Rodrigue had previously mocked Newton on Twitter, with whom she had also posted racial remarks, prompting the publication BlackSportsOnline.com to label her a hypocrite. Dannon, a yogurt company, announced Newton as a sponsor on the following day. Later that day, Newton posted a video in which he apologised for his remarks. Newton threw for 254 yards and rushed for 95 yards with four touchdowns on Monday Night Football against the Miami Dolphins. As the Panthers defeated 45-21, the Panthers had 294 passing yards and 548 total yards of offense. He received the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his efforts in Week 10. He ended the regular season with 3,302 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and a career-high 754 rushing yards, as well as six rushing touchdowns. As the #5 seed, the Panthers qualified to the playoffs. The Panthers lost by a score of 31-26 for 24 of 40 for 349 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card Round against the New Orleans Saints. On their last stand in the fourth quarter, Newton was able to engineer a drive to the Saints' 21-yard line but the ball was eventually kicked down on downs. Newton was ranked 25th in his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

Newton went 32 of 45 passing yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and an interception in the 31–24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 of the 2018 season, defeating the Dallas Cowboys by 16–8. In the 31–21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, he passed for two touchdowns and ran for two touchdowns. Newton completed 16 of 22 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns in the final quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, defeating them 21–17 and earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

In the month of November, Newton and the Panthers began to fail. After losing 6–2, the Panthers announced a nagging shoulder injury that had been limiting his action during the losing streak and hinted that the team would deactivate him for the final two games of the season to recover. Newton underwent right shoulder surgery on January 24, 2019.

Newton was named the best underrated quarterback in the league by 85 defensive players from 25 teams in a poll conducted by writers from The Athletic. He was ranked 87th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

In Week 1 of the following season against the Los Angeles Rams, Newton returned from injury. Newton passed for 239 yards and one interception in the game as the Panthers lost 30–27. Newton completed 25 passes out of 51 attempts for 333 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football, defeating the Panthers 20-20. "All fingers are pointed back to the playoff and me specifically," Newton said after the game. Newton was ruled out of the week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals due to injury, and it was later discovered that he had a Lisfranc fracture, which he later described in a YouTube video. Newton was on injured reserve on November 5, the Panthers' return to work was slower than anticipated.

The Panthers revealed on March 17, 2020, that Newton had been given permission to request a trade. However, the team announced Newton officially on March 24, after struggling to find a trade partner.

Newton signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots on July 8, 2020, after nearly three months in free agency. The deal included a base salary of $1.05 million, the minimum wage for a player with more experience, as well as a maximum value of $7.5 million, which includes compensation and playing time bonuses. Newton was regarded in the media as a potential replacement for Tom Brady, a 20-year veteran who left New England in a free agency. On September 3, the Patriots' starting quarterback and team captain announced him, defeating veteran Brian Hoyer and second-year Jartt Stidham, who made him the team's first new primary starter since 2002.

Newton led the Patriots to a 21–11 victory in his first game against the Miami Dolphins, finishing 15 of 19 passes for 155 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while rushing the ball 15 times for 75 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Newton was embroiled in a scuffle with Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and nose tackle Raekwon Davis, the latter of which attempted to remove a chain from Newton's neck. Newton finished with 397 passing yards, 47 passing yards, one interception, and two rushing touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. Newton attempted to run into the end zone from the one-yard line at the end of the game, but was stopped short, resulting in the Patriots' loss.

Newton tested positive for COVID-19 on the day before the team's Week 4 match against the Chiefs, but the team later postponed the match by a day. On October 14, he was activated from the list. Newton passed for 274 yards and had two rushing touchdowns in Week 9, defeating the New York Jets 30–27 on Monday Night Football. Newton's debut in 2020 marked his third game in his rookie season, beating his record-high of three such games in 2011.

Newton threw for 365 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans in Week 11, during the 27-20 loss. During the 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, Newton threw for a season low 84 yards and two interceptions. Newton only threw for 69 yards and a touchdown in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but the 45-0 victory gave him 48 yards and two more touchdowns. Newton threw for 34 yards and rushed for 24 yards and a touchdown in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, before being suspended in favour of Jartt Stidham in the third quarter during the 38-19 loss. Jakobi Meyers threw to him during the 28-14 victory over the New York Jets on Week 17 for his first career touchdown reception on a trick play.

Newton had a season-high 12 quarterback rushing touchdowns, the second-highest in a season behind his 14 in 2011. Newton's career was decent, but he only passed for 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns, the fewest outside of his injury-shortened 2019 season.

The Patriots re-signed Newton to a one-year contract worth up to $13.6 million on March 12, 2021. In training camp, he competed with rookie first-round draft pick Mac Jones. He travelled outside of New England on August 21 for a visit. Despite multiple negative tests for COVID-19, he was required to stay away from the team's facility for five days. Due to his injury, he missed four days of practice the day before his preseason match. He did, however, participate fully in the activities. Newton was able to return to the team in time for their final preseason game, which he participated in. Newton was fired from the Patriots after final roster cuts on August 31.

Following Sam Darnold's injury, Newton signed a one-year contract worth up to $10 million to return to the Carolina Panthers on November 11, 2021. The transaction includes $4.5 million that is fully guaranteed as well as a $1.5 million roster bonus.

Newton played little part in his first game since re-signing as the back-up to P. J. Walker in the Week 10 game against the Arizona Cardinals, but he made a quick move by scoring touchdowns on his first two plays of the game. The first-quarter touchdowns were aided by a two-yard dash and a two-yard pass to Robby Anderson, respectively, who helped the Panthers win by 34-10. In a 27–21 loss to the Washington Football Team, he was named the starter and scored two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. Newton was the starter for the Miami Dolphins' win on Week 12, but Walker was suspended in the fourth quarter after completing 5 of 21 passes for 92 yards, two interceptions, and a 5.8 passer rating. With at least 20 attempts since Joey Harrington in 2004, his 23.8 percent completion rate was the lowest for a quarterback. Newton was named the starter in a Week 14 game against the Atlanta Falcons, but P.J. had no playing time. Walker, who led the game with 47 yards and a rushing touchdown, but also had to throw an intercept in a 29-21 loss. Newton had 684 passing yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions, 230 passing yards, and five rushing touchdowns in eight games. He also missed the first five games he started.

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