Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton: Leadership Will Show Over Final Four Games

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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As Cam Newton faces his toughest season yet, it’s the way he leads this team in their last four games that will either continue or end his frequent criticism.

Regression is an aspect of sports. Players and teams that surge during the best parts of their career often regress back to the mean of the league average. 2015 was a year in which NFL MVP, Cam Newton, blew past the competition to win one of the most important individual awards in the league. 2016 has been the exact opposite as he’s not only returned to form, but he’s fallen to career-lows across the board.

After 2015, many believed that Newton finally emerged into the superhero that the Carolina Panthers needed. He goes by the moniker “Superman” and he looked the part last year. His performance this season makes it seem like someone has slipped kryptonite into his helmet—and no one in the organization knows how to remove it.

Newton has slipped in production across the board. He’s hit a career-worst in most recorded areas for quarterbacks. With four games remaining, there isn’t a guarantee that he will make it out of this statistical cellar. He’s projected to have career lows in completions, yards, and QB rating. While he’s kept his interceptions to just eight, which is a career-best, it’s hard to expect him to remain at such a low number with the way the offense has been performing this season.

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What has been interesting to watch is how Newton has handled the downfall of the Panthers this year. Leaders within the team have praised him for how he’s managed to shed some of that “pouty” attitude that he’s been tabbed with in the past.

Yet, he’s still unable to fully escape the criticism in such situations; such as the recent Tie-gate story that’s following Newton and the team after their 40-7 defeat by the Seattle Seahawks. Newton addressed his concerns on the year and provided an honest insight into how he’s feeling about his and the team’s performance, calling it all “demoralizing.”

At 4-8, the Panthers are almost eliminated from contention, but Newton’s true test of leadership comes with how well the Panthers close out the year. With four games left to close out 2016, Carolina faces three teams with winning records. Subsequently, their challenge is an uphill battle. Newton’s shown an ability to lead the Panthers to strong closings at the end of the year, but the team hasn’t quite been in a situation as bad as this as injuries continue to mount in multiple areas.

Throughout his career Cam Newton faces challenges from all angles. Whether or not it’s his struggles as a face off the field, to people criticizing him for his celebrations on the field; Newton is a player that’s a lightning rod for both sides. The way 2016 has unfolded has been difficult to watch for Newton fans as he’s reached a low point in his career. Other great quarterbacks have faced similar situations and the way they turned it around built their legendary statue. Hopefully, Newton can do the same in the near future.

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