Cam Newton Plays Training Camp Santa Giving Gifts to Kids in Attendance

The calendar may read 'August,' but that doesn't mean that it's not the perfect time to spread [...]

The calendar may read "August," but that doesn't mean that it's not the perfect time to spread some holiday cheer. Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is doing just that at training camp with some autographed gifts to the fans in attendance. And unlike Santa Claus or the Krampus, Newton does not pay attention to whether or not the children have been naughty or nice.

Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers posted a video on Twitter showing their star quarterback making an effort to bring smiles to the fans at training camp. He autographed a pair of his cleats and gave them to one very surprised child. To complete the theme of "Training Camp Christmas," Newton rode off on his sleigh.

Well, in this case, the sleigh was actually a golf cart. Either way, it was the vessel that helped Newton spread cheer to those in attendance.

Throughout his career, Newton has been known as a player that loves to make kids smile. During his MVP season in 2015, he made the highlight reel on numerous occasions with his touchdowns. After every single score, Newton would take the football and hand it to a kid in the stands in order to make their day special. With 45 combined touchdowns during the regular season, he had plenty of opportunities to hand out footballs.

Interestingly enough, Newton's tradition of handing out footballs to kids in the stands, a.k.a the Sunday Giveaway, actually started after his offensive coordinator, Mike Shula, told him to find a better way to celebrate. According to the Charlotte Observer, Newton's initial celebrations were bringing more attention to himself than the team, so Shula suggested finding a kid and handing them the football. The tradition stuck and has since become a staple of Panthers games.

"In the NFL, you can hear your coaches in your headset...All I kept hearing was: 'Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah," Newton said. "So...I grabbed the ball and made eye contact with a kid in the front row. And it was as if we knew each other forever. I handed him the football and it was the most priceless moment I could put my finger on up to that moment...Giving a child or a kid a football...is something you will cherish for your whole professional career. I've seen kids cry."

Whether he is handing out footballs after regular-season touchdowns or simply giving away an autographed pair of cleats at training camp, there is no denying that Newton loves to bring joy to the fans of the Carolina Panthers. Now that he is fully healthy after shoulder surgery, it's very likely that Newton will be handing out even more presents throughout the season.

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