By Miles Park ’16, Section Editor

At 6’5”, 248 pounds, Cam Newton is built like an action figure and it is no wonder he has been nicknamed SuperCam. Yet unlike most superheroes, Newton has yet to receive his fairy tale ending in the NFL. In the wake of a crushing Super Bowl defeat, a look into Newton’s past reveals the winding journey that molded him into the spectacular, polarizing, smiling superstar he has become.

At Westlake High School in Atlanta, Cam Newton was a star. A 5 star recruit and a top 50 player in the country, Cam was courted by Georgia, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and others before eventually committing to the University of Florida at the start of senior year. After spending his freshman year in 2007 backing up Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, Newton’s collegiate career was abruptly derailed. In 2008, Newton injured his ankle in Florida’s opening game against Hawaii and opted to take a medical redshirt season. Yet the surprises were far from over as just months later, on November 21, 2008, Newton was arrested for receiving stolen property after he allegedly received a stolen laptop from another Florida student. Newton was suspended from the football team after the laptop was found in his possession, and although the charges against him were dropped, Newton unceremoniously opted to transfer out of Florida to a little known Junior College in Brenham, Texas called Blinn College.

At Blinn, Cam found not only a second chance at football, but refuge. Humbled and liberated from the pressure cooker of SEC football, Newton was able to refocus and dedicate himself to football and academics. In his one year at Blinn, Newton earned an associate’s degree and led the Buccaneers to a Junior College National Title, etching his name in Blinn folklore. Newton’s stunning on-field performance at Blinn did not go unnoticed as the quarterback once again fielded offers from a host of Division I programs before opting to return to the SEC with the Auburn Tigers in 2010.

        Upon arriving at Auburn, Newton was jeered and called a “criminal” or “convict,” yet he quickly won over the support of the Auburn faithful with his electrifying performances as quarterback. In 2010, his only year at Auburn, Newton posted one of the best seasons in the history of college football breaking numerous records along the way. Newton led the Tigers to a perfect 14-0 record and the BCS National Championship, while receiving college football’s most prestigious honor, the Heisman Trophy, in a landslide vote. Newton also received the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O’Brien award, the Manning Award, and was named the AP College Football Player of the Year. Yet all of this was accomplished amidst a swirling national scandal.

Cam’s father, Cecil Newton, was accused of soliciting large sums of money in exchange for his son’s services, a violation of NCAA rules. The NCAA launched a full-blown investigation into the matter during the heart of Cam’s Heisman season. Many called for Auburn to suspend Newton internally and avoid harsh NCAA sanctions. Cam was regularly demonized in the media, yet during the whole ordeal the university stood squarely behind its star quarterback. On November 30th, 2010, the ordeal came to a head as the NCAA declared Cam to be ineligible after substantiating evidence that Cecil had solicited more than $100,000 from Mississippi State in exchange for his son’s athletic services. Auburn immediately cut ties with Cecil and filed to have Cam reinstated on the grounds that he had no knowledge of his father’s illicit activity. Somewhat surprisingly, the NCAA sided with Auburn and allowed Cam to play in the SEC and National Championship games.

With scandal and college behind him, Cam was freed to become what he always believed he could be, an NFL superstar. Newton’s prodigious talent compelled the Carolina Panthers to select him with the #1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, immediately making him the face of a franchise in transition. In 2011, under first year head coach Ron Rivera, Newton drastically exceeded expectations, smashing multiple NFL rookie records, but still only leading the Panthers to an improved 6-10 record. Newton’s sensational rookie campaign led many to believe that he was on the fast track to superstardom, yet going into the 2015 NFL season, many around the league felt as though Newton’s development as a passer had stalled and that he might never fulfill his potential. All of that would soon change.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Cam Newton’s persona is his polarizing nature. He has become a folk hero in Carolina, but around the league, many players and fans resent, loathe, or simply hate Newton. Newton is confident, larger than life, having fun, and not afraid to show it. He can frequently be seen showboating and celebrating after each big play, win, or touchdown and people don’t always like it. As Elias Neibart ‘16 explains, “Cam just rubs me the wrong way, it often feels like he’s acting and he should just stick to playing football.” Newton’s Panther teammate Roman Harper even says that before he signed with the Panthers “[he] thought [Cam] was selfish, that he was all about himself.” Cam even got into an altercation with veteran referee Ed Hochuli, who allegedly told Newton, “You’re not old enough to get that call.” Yet even amidst those negative sentiments, Jack Szlosek 18’ “loves Cam” and believes that, “he is the best player in the league.” Newton’s jersey has been one of the top 5 selling jerseys league wide, and his signature dance, the “dab,” has spread as far as Italian soccer, where French star Paul Pogba has adopted Newton’s trademark. Newton has become far more visible with large endorsement deals with Under Armor and numerous other brands. Newton’s skyrocketing popularity coincides with by far his best regular season, where he led the Panthers to a 15-1 regular season record and the #1 seed in the NFC. Newton went on to lead the Panthers to a commanding win over the Seahawks in the Divisional Round before the dismantling the Cardinals in the NFC Championship game, setting up an intriguing matchup against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.

In the buildup to the game, Newton received the NFL MVP award, yet much of the conversation was centered on the quarterback’s race. Going into the game the Panthers were heavy favorites, as most believed that their dominant defense paired with Newton’s offense would overwhelm the Peyton Manning-led Broncos. Yet it was the Broncos defense, led by Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, who dominated the game, forcing Newton into 3 turnovers and limiting the Panthers to just 10 points en route to a 24-10 victory. Cam looked visibly distraught throughout the game as his offensive line crumbled around him and his receivers struggled to get open. Newton could not control his emotions at the mandatory post-game press conference where he was heavily criticized for storming out on the media, once again igniting conversations about his race. Yet the Panthers falling short in the Super Bowl should only be viewed as a minor setback in what should continue to be a groundbreaking career for Cam Newton. Expect to see the 26 year-old MVP throwing, running, smiling, and dabbing all over the field in what is rapidly becoming his league.