Carolina Panthers 2010s all-decade offense
By Luke Tucker
Quarterback
Cam Newton
Unquestionably the greatest quarterback in franchise history, Cam Newton is obviously deserving of this spot. The former top-overall pick in 2011 has been nothing short of spectacular during his time in Charlotte. In 125 games with the Panthers, Newton has passed for a franchise-record 29,041 yards and 182 touchdowns. Both of those figures rank in the top-60 all-time.
Despite Newton’s success through the air, it’s his rushing ability that makes him so difficult to defend. In his career, the 30-year-old has piled up 4,806 yards and 58 touchdowns on the ground. No quarterback in NFL history has ever had more rushing scores than Newton. Because of his skill both in the running and passing game, perhaps no other player–aside from Lamar Jackson–is harder to gameplan against. Unfortunately for Newton and the Panthers, each of his last two seasons have been derailed by injury, leading to concerns about his long-term health.
On Monday, the former MVP underwent surgery to repair the Lisfranc injury that ended his 2019 season after just two games. He is expected to be fully recovered by March, making him healthy for what will be a contract year. Upon his return, the Panthers will have the option to trade him, release him (which would save about $19 million in cap space), or ride him for another season. If anything has been made clear based on Carolina’s recent struggles, it’s that maybe Newton’s future does still lie in Charlotte.