Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers agree to deal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Quarterback Cam Newton has agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers that will bring him back to the team that he helped reach the Super Bowl in 2015, it was announced Thursday.
The deal, which is pending a physical, is worth up to $10 million for the remainder of the season, including $4.5 million guaranteed and a $1.5 million roster bonus, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Panthers, who selected Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, released him following the 2019 season after he had struggled for several years with shoulder and foot injuries. They began a new regime with coach Matt Rhule at that time.
The Panthers (4-5) began searching for options at quarterback after starter Sam Darnold suffered a shoulder injury Sunday that will sideline him four to six weeks.
Rhule said after learning the extent of Darnold's injury on Tuesday, he got with general manager Scott Fitterer to look at options with the understanding that P.J. Walker would start on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals (8-1).
"After we talked and deliberated, I went back to my office and called Cam [Tuesday] night,'' Rhule said. "I asked if he had any interest in coming back to the Carolina Panthers. He emphatically said, 'Yes.'"
Newton flew to Charlotte on Thursday morning to meet with owner David Tepper and Fitterer to finalize the deal. Newton is expected to practice Friday as Rhule is eager to see "where he is physically."
"A healthy Cam Newton is a special player,'' Rhule said. "We'll just take it day by day.''
Rhule said the plan is for recently acquired Matt Barkley to serve as the backup to Walker on Sunday.
Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, started 15 games for the New England Patriots in 2020 before being released in training camp this year after the team decided to go with rookie Mac Jones as the starter.
Newton missed three practices before the season thanks to what the Patriots called a COVID-19 protocol "misunderstanding," but coach Bill Belichick said the quarterback's vaccination status didn't factor into the decision to release him.
The 32-year-old quarterback said in a video published to his YouTube channel last month that he's been vaccinated.
Rhule feels the Panthers still can win now with the league's No. 2 defense and a healthy Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, if there is stability at quarterback.
"We have a team we feel like can win,'' Rhule said. "We owe it to our players to try to go win. We owe it to our fans to try to go win."
Added Rhule later: "This is a disciplined decision. This an excellent player that is healthy and wants to be here. I'm excited.''
Newton last played for Carolina in the second game of the 2019 season before being sidelined after aggravating a Lisfranc injury suffered in the third preseason game.
"Cam Newton is a pro,'' Rhule said when asked if Newton harbored any hard feelings about his release from the Panthers in 2019. "We made a football decision at the time based on his health. We weren't sure what his health was and we had to make a decision. Cam understands that. He understands these are football-based.
"... I know that he's a competitor, I know that he's tough. He's everything that I believe and talk about,'' Rhule said. "But at the time he wasn't healthy. He's healthy now."
In nine seasons with Carolina, Newton is the franchise's career leader in passing yards (29,041), passing touchdowns (182) and rushing touchdowns (58). He ranks third with 4,806 rushing yards.
According to Elias Sports Bureau data, Newton is 959 passing yards and 194 rushing yards from becoming the first player in NFL history to reach the 30K-5K club for a single team -- although Russell Wilson needs just 426 rushing yards to reach the milestone with the Seattle Seahawks.
Newton threw for 35 touchdowns and ran for 10 more during his 2015 MVP season, when he led Carolina to a 15-1 regular-season record.
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