Cam Newton is trying to do something 37 other NFL quarterbacks haven’t.
All the stories surrounding the Carolina Panthers as they open training camp for 2016 are whether Cam Newton can improve on his MVP and Super Bowl season. Now, how can a guy who led his team to a 15-1 record and beat out Brady and Rogers and Russell Wilson as the best player in the NFL do that? Well, apparently he has to.
Of the 50 Super Bowls played, 38 of the starting quarterbacks never started a second championship game. And if you think Newton is a shoe-in to do that, listen to the names of some pretty good QBs who never made it past one. Start with Aaron Rogers, whose annual proclamation as the best quarterback in football hasn’t led the Packers back to another Super Bowl since their 2010 title.
Rogers, plus Colin Kapernick, Joe Flacco and Drew Brees are still active and also vying for No. 2. Among those who stopped at one include: Johnny Unitas (although there was no Super Bowl for most of his career); Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Joe Namath; all-pro lefties Steve Young and Ken Stabler; Donovan McNabb, Ron Jaworski, Boomer Esiason, Steve McNair, Jim McMahon, Jake Delhomme, Drew Bledsoe, Billy Kilmer and Doug Williams. There are other good one-timers on the list, but you must be over 50 to recognize them all.
Point is, Newton is no slam dunk to get his team back to the Big Game. The Panthers had one of those seasons in 2015, a favorable schedule, comeback wins and/or goal line stands and an underrated defense that played in the shadow of Newton. But already the national media is calling for Newton to improve his game in order to be back at Super Bowl 51 and, this time, win it.
They are saying he must be more consistent, but how can you improve on being the No. 1-ranked player in the game? He must figure out how to incorporate returning receiver Kelvin Benjamin into the offense, but isn’t that Benjamin’s job? And Newton must handle the bad moments better, like how the loss to the Broncos ended.
Guess that’s why reaching a second Super Bowl has been hard for all those stars who came before Newton and couldn’t do it.
