Cam Newton is now looking for a new NFL team. After reports of the Carolina Panthers expecting to release the star quarterback, the team made it official on Tuesday afternoon. Newton is now a free agent and can sign with any team for the 2020 season.
“Cam has meant a lot to this organization and the Carolinas,” general manager Marty Hurney said in a press release. “Everyone saw his performances on the field. I had the privilege of seeing how hard he worked off the field, and his commitment to this team when no one was watching. He’s the ultimate competitor and it physically hurts him to lose. He willed this team to victory on many occasions and will always be considered one of the greatest players in the history of this franchise. His contributions to this team, this community and the game of football will leave a lasting impact on our organization.”
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Adam Schefter of ESPN was the first to report that Newton was going to be cut by the Panthers which was on Tuesday morning. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the Panthers were looking to trade Newton to the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Chargers. The teams couldn’t get a deal done which led to Newton being cut. The release comes nearly one week after the team signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million deal. This is also around the same time the Panthers announced they would allow Newton to seek a trade and that didn’t sit well with him.
Last year, Newton, who won the MVP award in 2015, only played in two games due to an injured foot. He was looking to return later in the year, but his injury never fully-recovered and he was forced to have surgery. Newton just had one year left on his contract and he was slated to make $20 million.
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton made an immediate impact, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. 2015 was his best season, throwing for 3,837 yards, 35 touchdowns and he posted 99.4 quarterback rating. Along with winning the MVP award, Newton led the Panthers to the Super Bowl but lost to the Denver Broncos. He leaves the Panthers as the team’s all-time leader in passing yards (29,041), passing touchdowns (182), pass attempts (3,980), pass completions (2,371), 300-yard passing games (19), rushing touchdowns (58) and wins by a quarterback (68).
