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Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers have reunited after being separated since the end of the 2019 season. Newton's return to the Panthers has sparked a debate as to whether or not the veteran quarterback can return to his dominant ways.
Newton was once the cornerstone of a very tough and unpredictable Panthers offense that had most teams confused. Newton had a strong arm and could also take off at a moment's notice, but something along the way mired their relationship.
After 2019, Newton and the Panthers parted ways, and he would go on to start for the New England Patriots. What led to this separation?
A lot of it had to do with the quarterback's production.
Why did Cam Newton's production plummet?
Cam Newton came into the league during the 2011 season and was electric from the very start. His rookie season of over 4,000 passing yards led to a Pro Bowl selection.
In eight of his nine seasons in Carolina, Newton threw for over 3,000 yards passing. He earned two more trips to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2015.
In the 2015 season, Newton was named the MVP of the league.
Even with those impressive stats, Newton seemed to be regressing in a manner that was not befitting of the Panthers franchise. It wasn't that his yardage wasn't at the same level, it was that his TD-to-INT ratio began to suffer.
The 2016 and 2017 seasons were two of the worst for his career. In the 2016 season, Newton threw 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In the 2017 season, Newton threw for 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Those are not the kind of numbers that any franchise would like to see their starting quarterback put up. Touchdowns are one thing, but throwing nearly as many picks is terrible.
Newton's regression started with this detail, and the eventual split was evident.
Newton and the Panthers: Break-up to make-up
Newton became very vocal about the Panthers and his displeasure over a few things with the organization. These comments began to cause a rift that neither side would come back from.
Then, in the 2019 season, Newton suffered a foot injury that knocked him out of the entire season.
The relationship had soured enough that it was time for both sides to part ways. The team released Newton in March 2020.
Shortly after, he was signed by the New England Patriots, where he had an even worse season.
The hope now is that Newton can reclaim some of the style of play and glory that he held with the Panthers during those beginning seasons. If he can return to that form, the Panthers will become a formidable force to be reckoned with in the NFC.
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