For the past decade, the NFL has been stricken with something I like to call “Ben Roethlisberger Syndrome." Quarterbacks have become nothing more than delivery boys, specializing in simply giving the ball to other people. And even if they do it well, such as in Big Ben’s case, I still can’t help but feel like they are missing out on a major facet of the game. f
Enter Cam Newton, or Scam Newton, if you’re one of the many still salty about his collegiate career. Cam, like Big Ben, is capable of throwing immaculate passes on a regular basis. But unlike Ben, who is surrounded by names like Antonio Brown and Le’veon Bell, Cam Newton is working with the Island of Misfit Toys. Sure, he has a legendary receiving option in Greg Olsen, but aside from that, his receiving corps came straight from the bottom of the barrel.
But Newton makes it work, instilling a confidence in his team that gives even the lowliest of players the feeling of being a champion. Part of this is his skill, of course, but this effect is due in no small part to his style of play. Cam’s game is pure, unmitigated swagger, entering every play with a tangible and contagious confidence. He stands in the pocket like I stand in line for the bathroom: sure, there is a level of urgency, but if worse comes to worst, I’ll just be forced to improvise.
And Cam has made the entire NFL his bathroom. When his passing options are taken away, he simply makes his own yardage. When he makes his own yardage, defenses are forced to put more pressure on him. When defenses put more pressure on him, his passing options become available. Rather than act as a delivery boy, Cam Newton plays the role of the heart and soul of the Carolina offense, an indispensable asset to an otherwise pedestrian roster.
Sure, he is a controversial figure. Quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees have cemented their place in football history without causing any fuss. But controversy gets people talking; it adds a new level of depth to the NFL experience and gives viewers a more personal investment in the game. No matter what opinion you have about Cam, you have an opinion nonetheless. And when those opinions get strong enough, he goes from simply an NFL quarterback to a pop culture icon.
Not everyone can be Aaron Rodgers. Imagine how boring the NFL landscape would be if there were no villains or heroes, just overpaid jerseys that fade into obscurity as soon as they step off the field. Thanks to big personalities like that of Newton, professional football has become more accessible to the common man.
Everyone makes mistakes. I’ve eaten at Golden Corral, at least, seven times. Don’t act like Cam Newton is just some thug from college that is now getting paid to be a thug in the NFL. He is a man that legitimately loves the game, that legitimately loves the Carolinas, and that is making a legitimate impact in the history of football.
