New Post has been published on What You Talking Bout
New Post has been published on http://whatyoutalkingbout.com/cam-newton-is-worth-the-money/
Cam Newton Is Worth The Money!
To understand what Cameron Jerrell Newton means to the Carolina Panthers organization, you have to start at the beginning; right before his 2011 rookie campaign. Fresh off an NFL worst 2-14 record and trying to find an identity after the end of the Jake Delhomme Era, the Panthers were without direction. The answer for the QB position (leader) was not on the roster, and the success rate of old veterans or project QB’s was dismal. The panthers also were without a coach who had been a part of the organization for almost a decade. They needed change, they needed a spark, and they needed hope.
Enter the Cam Newton Era. The 2011 Rookie of the year has done nothing short of providing for the panthers needs while also making them relevant. Something they had not been since they were annihilated in their 2008 playoff game. Even though the panthers finished 6-10 his first year, what he had done could not be ignored. He started out with a bang, his first two games he threw for 400 yards back to back. He finished the season with 35 total touchdowns and over 4,750 total yards (passing & rushing). The spark was ignited and the future looked bright.
The one thing we use to measure almost every area of our life is progression. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, there is a progression each individual judges themselves and others by. Most NFL fans think the holy grail of progression is wins. If you win more or continue to win every season then obviously you are progressing. Every year of the Cam Newton era the panthers have taken one step closer to reaching that goal of winning the Super Bowl. From an improving regular season record in his first 3 years, to getting into and then winning a playoff game his last two years. If we are judging him off of progression, then he has passed that test.
Quick name a quarterback that has thrown over 3,500 yards and rush for over 500 yards in four seasons straight? It should be pretty easy to answer, because it’s only been done by Cam Newton. When an athlete starts to do things that have never been done before; they start to separate from the pack. And if you take that even further and look at the situation in which Cam Newton has done these things, the feats gets even more remarkable. He came into the NFL via no training camp, with no system that was already set up for him to succeed (Luck), no consistently highly touted defense (Wilson), and no veteran head coaching staff (Kaepernick). And as of right now…he’s the only QB in NFL history to have over 10,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in his first four seasons.
Cam Newton is a nightmare to game plan for and one of the best dual threat QB’s in the league. He has won the NFC South division twice and took the panthers to back to back playoff games. Again something that has never been done. I could talk at length about his on the field accolades and how he has morphed into an undisputed leader of the team. But what also gets overshadowed is his off the field character. For a guy who was looked upon as a risk in that area pre-draft, he has really shown his heart for the city of charlotte. He’s pledged money to the local school system, does training camps for young athletes, and participates in multiple food give-a-ways. He even indirectly encouraged education by example in finishing school to get his college degree. He did this even though he was already set up to receive millions of dollars.
He has the tangibles of any NFL QB, in his four seasons he’s only progressed toward the panther’s ultimate goal (Lombardi Trophy), and he has the intangibles of good character, hard work ethic, and humility. I think that’s worth every penny he received to be the panthers QB for the foreseeable future. And Panthers Nation should be proud that they have someone who wants nothing more than to “Keep Pounding” all the way to the top.
-T.G. Wright-
