Carolina Panthers: All-Time Twenty Year Team

Dec 6, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) reacts after a first down against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

26. Quarterback – Cam Newton (2011-)

In the Carolina Panthers Twenty Bracket, I pitted Newton against Jake Delhomme and declared Delhomme the winner. I said that it was close and Newton’s performance in the current season has brought him over the top to give some kid a football.

Newton is a gamechanger in a way that Delhomme never was. Neither were Kerry Collins or Steve Beuerlein. He does not have the playoff resume of Delhomme, but he will get there and maybe this year while he is at it.

Newton plays the position with size and physicality that are essentially unmatched in League history. There have been other quarterbacks that could run, like Randall Cunningham or Michael Vick, but none of them had the power that Newton does. As a result Newton is close to breaking Steve Young’s rushing touchdown record for quarterbacks in just four years.

I once dreamed that a Panthers team would win the Super Bowl with an Auburn quarterback. I was in high school and thought that quarterback was Dameyune Craig. Maybe I was just looking further into the future than I could see?

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