It happened at some point on Tuesday morning — I started to feel myself changing my view of Cam Newton.
I was watching Mike & Mike on ESPN while giving my kids breakfast when I saw something different in the press conference that has sparked so much discussion — the one that’s being used as ammunition against the outspoken QB. Although I had seen the footage at least a dozen times, this was the first time I really looked at his face. He wore the same expression my three-year-old son does when something doesn’t go his way, and that’s when it hit me.
He’s just a kid. He’s a 26-year-old kid who still has much to learn about leadership, poise, and handling defeat with grace.
And I’ll admit, I was one of the people who couldn’t wait to pile the criticism on Newton — to watch another team rub defeat in his face the way he did it to opponents all season (most notably my New York Giants, who came so close to beating him). After all, you reap what you sew, right? If he wants to talk a big game, wear golden shoes to the Super Bowl, and show up his opponents time and time again, then he better be willing and able to face the music when he’s the one who fails to deliver.
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen — or at least, the limelight.
It was a sentiment expressed by so many, including former players like Boomer Esiason (now an NFL analyst and radio talk show host), Greg McElroy, and Deion Sanders, not to mention many who never set foot on a field.
“You are the face of our brand right now,” Sanders said. “You can’t do that. I understand the emotions of losing. You can’t do that. A (Peyton) Manning, a (Tom) Brady, all of those guys who have been prototypical guys would never do that. “You can’t be dabbin’, smiling, styling and profiling when you win, and then this is how you lose.”
All valid points, I’ll admit that.
But comparing him to Manning and Brady? That’s where I draw the line. Newton can’t be held to that standard, for three reasons:
- Manning and Brady have decades of experience on him that has taught them how to react to losses and disappointment. And they haven’t always handled things perfectly — who could forget Brady ripping into his Offensive Coordinator, or Manning lashing back at the team’s “idiot kicker?” These guys aren’t perfect. But over the years, they’ve learned to react in a more respectable way.
- Up until Sunday, Newton had faced very little adversity. He’s the only player in the modern era to be awarded the Heisman Trophy, win a national championship, and become the first overall pick in an NFL draft within a 12-month span. He was the 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year, is a 3-time Pro Bowler, and was named to the NFL All Pro First Team in 2015 (Wikipedia). Oh, and he was named MVP and Offensive Player this past season, leading his team to a 15-1 record and an NFC title. He knew how to win — what didn’t know was how to lose.
- And that brings me to the last point. The aforementioned future Hall of Fame quarterbacks have the distinct advantage of being mentored by legendary coaches — Manning by Tony Dungy (during his time with the Colts) and Brady by Bill Belichick. Both Dungy and Belichick have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, and they’ve no doubt passed along some of that wisdom to Brady and Manning, who has reached out to Dungy for advice on whether to continue playing football. And so, although Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera is no doubt a solid leader, he doesn’t have near the experience of the aforementioned coaches — at least not yet.
All of this considered, I was still disappointed in Newton, as were many. That is, until he addressed the media later on Tuesday. And although he didn’t quite offer a full-fledged mea culpa, he did admit to being a “sore loser.”
But most importantly, he finally faced the music. And this time, it wasn’t a victory dance, but a redemption dance.
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