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The last time Cam Newton played for the Carolina Panthers came in 2021.
He returned after a stint in New England playing for the Patriots.
It was supposed to be a full-circle homecoming. What happened instead was merely more losing. Newton has been out of the league ever since.
Since then, Newton has flirted with a return to football. However, at 35-years-old, he is finally getting realistic about the chances of playing in the NFL again.
“Do I think I will ever play football again? Respectfully, no,” Newton said on a Wednesday episode of his podcast. “That’s just me being honest. It’s been so long. I’m not getting any younger. Do I think I can play? Yes. But do I think I’m going to play? I need somebody to take a chance. I don’t think somebody is gonna take that chance now.”
In Newton’s last attempt at a comeback, he played for the Panthers midway through the 2021 season. He amassed 684 passing yards, 230 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns.
Newton’s career is a deeply polarizing one. His highs, leading the 2015 Panthers to the Super Bowl while claiming the MVP, were extremely high. However, the lows, the immediate seasons following, were far lower than expected.
Still, he will go down as the greatest quarterback in Panthers’ history.
But part of greatness is about knowing when to hang it up. And Newton knows the likelihood of him playing in the NFL again is extremely low. “I haven’t played football in four years,” Newton said. “You think somebody’s going to want me now?”
