Cam Newton has never doubted his own abilities.
Even now, half a decade after his NFL career ended, the Carolina Panthers legend thinks he should be back out there on a field, potentially for their NFC South rival, the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons are in the midst of a quarterback nightmare, to be sure. Cooper Rush had to start Week 1 because Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. were both out with injuries — and there’s a bit of uncertainty about the injury recovery timelines going forward, too.
Newton, who hosts a popular podcast, often gets up in arms about things happening in the NFL and finds a way to spin it about himself.
In this case, the formerly great QB thinks that maybe he should be getting a chance.
He notes that Philip Rivers played for the Colts last season about five years after retirement, and that the Broncos called Drew Brees about a potential return, too.
Cam Newton Message for Falcons
Newton started with his thoughts for the entire NFL.
“Y’all overlook me,” Newton said earlier this week. “I want to at least say nah, I’m good. My phone ain’t ring in five years.”
And then the Falcons became the focus point of the conversation.
“Somebody gonna put in the comments, ‘Y’all acting like Cam Newton gonna carry the Falcons to the Super Bowl,'” Newton said. “I wasn’t asked to carry a team. (The Colts) didn’t ask Philip Rivers to carry a team. They just said manage it. I mean damn, I can do better than Cooper Rush. He ain’t even QB2. He’s QB-who? At some point, call it how it is. Y’all really think that low of me that I can’t go out there and ball? Wake up. Wake up.”
He certainly delivered his message with energy and conviction, which has to count for something.
When Did Cam Newton Retire?
Newton has actually never officially retired from the NFL. That means that at the moment, he’s technically a free agent.
He last played in the NFL in 2021 with the Panthers. He went 0-5 with a 54.8 completion percentage and four touchdown passes compared to five interceptions — while also rushing for five touchdowns.
Newton had left Carolina for the New England Patriots in 2020, and he went 7-8 as a starter there before returning for one final stint with the Panthers.
Prior to that negative ending, Newton had gone 68-55-1 in nine prior seasons in Carolina since the Panthers had made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2011. He won an MVP and led Carolina to an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Newton was a different brand of quarterback than most who had come before him, a punishing, powerful runner with a great throwing arm, too.
For a long time, it worked, until he started to wear down a bit.
Newton clearly still thinks he can play, though. He’s unlikely to get a chance, but it sure would be something.
Panthers Legend Cam Newton to Falcons: ‘I Can Do Better Than Cooper Rush’