The past two seasons knocked Cam Newton down.
Now, it’s time for the 2015 NFL MVP to get back up.
A pair of serious injuries led to Newton falling out of favor with the Carolina Panthers, who released the veteran quarterback in late March. The three-time Pro Bowl selection then lingered on the open market for roughly three months before landing with the New England Patriots on a veteran-minimum deal.
As such, 2020 will be a “prove it” season for Newton, and he’ll be challenged to rebuild his stock with arguably the most demanding team in the league. But Michael Vick, who knows a thing or two about staging a successful second act in the NFL, is confident in Newton moving forward.
“The trajectory for Cam right now is through the roof,” Vick said Friday on FS1’s “First Things First.”
“This is a 2.0 opportunity for Cam. He looks like he’s in tip-top shape and he has a chip on his shoulder. Sometimes after getting beat down for so many years — after you felt like you’ve put in the work and you feel like you earned your stripes — humbling experiences do occur. I feel like Cam has been humbled to a certain degree and he’s looking forward to turning it around and showing everyone that he’s still a perennial quarterback in the National Football League. So, this is the perfect platform for him. Obviously there’s a lot of work to do between now and the time the season starts, but I think this young man is ready for the challenge that’s in front of him.”
"The trajectory for Cam Newton is through the roof. … Cam has been humbled to a certain degree and he's looking forward to turning it around and showing everyone he's still a perennial QB in the NFL." — @MichaelVick pic.twitter.com/mb3mYJfZsv
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) July 17, 2020
As Vick notes, there’s quite a bit of work for Newton to do in order to earn a prominent role in Foxboro. But if Newton’s recent social media is any indication, he couldn’t be more motivated as he embarks on his next chapter.
