The 2025 Carolina Panthers, at 7-6, are off to their best start in years. For the first time in nearly a decade, the Panthers will be playing meaningful football in late December, something the team hasn’t done since Cam Newton was the quarterback.
Newton led the Panthers to their greatest heights as a franchise and spent 10 years with the team across two stints. 2015 was the peak of Newton’s time with the Panthers, leading the team to a 15-1 record, an NFC Championship, and Newton’s league MVP award.
Now, four years after his last snap in Carolina, Newton is reflecting on his Panthers career and if things could have gone differently in the end.
Never Wanted To Leave
Cam Newton is the greatest quarterback in the Panthers’ franchise history, yet he still feels there was more to accomplish in a Panthers uniform before he left.
Newton left Carolina for a year with the New England Patriots, but Newton was far from the same player he was with the Panthers. Newton had an opportunity to stay with the Panthers as a backup before he left for the Patriots, but Newton had a tough time grappling with that reality. He discussed this on his “Funky Friday” show with guest Jussie Smollett.
“I know what my standards are. I’m not doing that.” Newton said. “I never, ever wanted my jersey to be on another team outside of the Carolina Panthers. Just so happen it didn’t work there. I went to New England, obviously, then had the opportunity to come back, grateful for that experience too. And I did not think that was my last opportunity, putting on shoulder pads.”
While Newton was disappointed not to play football again, his legacy with the Panthers was already set in stone.
Legacy Endures
The mark that Cam Newton left on the Panthers franchise is still felt to this very day. Newton owns many passing and rushing records for the team. However, one was broken by quarterback Bryce Young a few weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons.
Young broke Newton’s single-game passing yards record, which Newton set with a 432-yard day against the Green Bay Packers in 2011. Young had 448 passing yards and afterwards paid tribute to Newton with his signature “dab” celebration.
Darin Gantt of Panthers.com wrote about Young and his reflections on breaking Newton’s record in his November 17 article.
“Definitely an honor,” Young said. “I have so much respect for Cam, for all that he has accomplished, for the player he is, all the stuff. I have so much respect for him, so hearing that is definitely an honor.”
Young deflected the spotlight from himself and instead wanted to celebrate the honor of breaking the quarterback record he respects.
“But again, being able to be mentioned with Cam, with a player of that caliber who I have so much respect for, it’s definitely an honor,” Young continued.
Newton had humongous highs and gut-wrenching lows, a Panther, but through it all, his legacy will endure as one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history.
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