Getty Former Patriots QB Cam Newton.
The fact the New England Patriots‘ Cam Newton has dealt with injuries is pretty well-known.
However, fewer people know exactly when the injury occurred, and how long it has taken the former NFL MVP to get healthy since originally hurting himself.
Cam Newton Details His Injury and Current Health Status
The 32-year-old QB says he is fully healthy, and if you take one look at him, he appears even more shredded than he did during his prime years with the Carolina Panthers. Take a look at this image from Newton’s Instagram account.
Newton shed a ton of light on the subject. In a video (recorded in September 2020) on his YouTube channel, Newton said:
After that damn San Diego game — we played the San Diego Chargers, (and) I reached out and I dove (after) I threw an interception, I messed up my AC joint. And ever since then, bro, it’s just been a part of me that’s been like a wounded dog, like a wounded lion all over the place. Not right.
Newton added this perspective about his mind state before getting to his current health status, which he reiterated, “I’m healthy.” In the video, Newton recalled:
“I feel good at times, but when I’m running, I still feel it. Instead of running them over (with my right shoulder), I’m going to turn [my left shoulder] and go down.”
You can see the entire video below. He shows the play at the 1:44 mark:
Newton’s openness continues to be one of the reasons he’s among the most polarizing athletes in the world.
Newton’s Stats Since the Injury vs. the Chargers
The injury to Newton’s shoulder occurred in Week 14 of the Panthers’ 2016 season. If you take a close look at the play, a horrendous effort by then-Panthers wide receiver on the would-be tackle is what forced Newton to have to make the tackle after he threw the ball poorly, but I digress.
The Panthers won the game, but lost two of their last three games to miss the postseason. Since the injury, Newton’s QB record between both the Panthers and the Patriots is 25-25. Prior to it, he was 50-38. Trying to play hurt was probably not the best idea for Newton, but that’s water under the bridge.
Thankfully, he’s healthy now, and also has the best array of offensive weapons at his disposal. The Patriots figure to have Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, James White, Damien Harris and Devin Asiasi as primary passing targets with the possibility young players like Isaiah Zuber and Tre Nixon making an impact as well.
That’s a drastic improvement over what Newton had to work with in 2020. Combine that with a clean bill of health and there is reason for optimism when looking at the Patriots’ upcoming season.