Few players in Carolina Panthers history were as polarizing to watch as Cam Newton. While the former NFL MVP-winning quarterback was capable of some superhuman feats on the gridiron, his larger-than-life often rubbed people the wrong way, which led to his fair share of drama between outsiders and teammates.
Newton found himself in Panthers-related drama during the franchise's trip to Germany during the 2024 season. The three-time Pro Bowl QB was noticeably absent as former fan favorites like Steven Smith Sr. and Luke Kuechly traveled around Munich, resulting in Newton accusing the organization of "avoiding" his legacy in a subsequent podcast appearance.
As disappointing as it has been to not see Newton involved with the Panthers in recent years, the latest reports suggest it's the player who deserves the blame after all.
Panthers Reportedly Open to Reuniting With Cam Newton
On Thursday, The Athletic's Joseph Person reported that the Panthers' "doors are open" to a potential reunion with Newton. Person added that the former 2011 first-overall pick "has been invited to multiple team-sponsored events in recent years" but chose not to make an appearance.
"Cam Newton has been and will continue to be welcomed by the Carolina Panthers," Person's source revealed. "Our doors are open, as they are to all team legends."
Ten years after he was the NFL's MVP during a magical Super Bowl season, Cam Newton and the Panthers are at odds. Ex-players hope Cam and David Tepper can set pride aside and repair the relationship.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) March 27, 2025
"There's no reason to burn down any more bridges."https://t.co/FVQUh7UHMm
Person went on to mention how Panthers officials have unsuccessfully attempted to contact Newton through every possible channel, from his ESPN contacts to family members. If that's true, the College Park, GA native doesn't have anyone to blame but himself if the team decided not to invite him to Germany because they assumed he'd ignore that call, too.
In November, Newton accused the Panthers of referring to honor him due to his lacking an official NFL retirement. The mindset promoted the 35-year-old QB-turned-analyst to say that he is "never gonna retire," continuing to march to the beat of his own drummer as he typically does.
Unfortunately, the fanbase's sentiments toward a potential reunion aren't as strong as they may have been in Germany. Newton has since gotten into online arguments with former teammates like Smith, even going as far as calling his inaugural Panthers teammates "a locker room full of losers."
After a remark like that, it's going to be tough for Newton to get back in his former teammates and fans' good graces. Regardless of how good (or bad) hist first Panthers team was, taking unnecessary shots at former colleagues is never a good path to take to repair broken bonds.
Hopefully, Newtown is more mindful of what he says and accepts the open door toward a Carolina reunion. The fans deserve to be able to celebrate a special player who threw for over 29,000 passing yards and 186 touchdowns while rushing for another 5,000-plus yards and 75 scores across 10 seasons in a Panthers jersey.
The 2025 NFL season will mark 10 years since the Panthers' second and most recent Super Bowl run. Considering how Newton led that team with a memorable MVP performance, now would be the perfect time for the two sides to squash their issues so No. 1 can finally return home.