Days before Super Bowl LIV, Cam Newton dropped by CBS Sports Radio’s Radio Row in Miami and told Tiki & Tierney that he will “absolutely” be back with the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” Newton said at the time. “It’s devastating to not have the coach who drafted you, but at the same time, you got to turn the page. I had an unbelievable conversation with Marty Hurney, David Tepper, as well as Coach [Matt] Rhule, and I left that meeting inspired. I told them, ‘You won’t find another person in that locker room with more to prove – not only to you, but I got to prove to myself.’”
Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney, however, aren’t so sure Newton will play another snap for Carolina. There is speculation that the Panthers could move on from Newton, who played in just two games last season and turns 31 in May.
“I don’t think he’ll be a Panther next season,” Tierney said. “I don’t think it makes great sense because you’d go on one path, and then after a year with Coach Rhule in a new system, you would abruptly shift gears and go [in another direction]. You’re not going to give him another contract extension after that, I don’t think. So here’s the options: move on and rip the Band-Aid off now and start over, make a trade . . . or you go in for a year and you hope it works out well – and it might because they have a lot of talent. But then you’re just kicking it down the road. It’s like if you’re in a bad relationship – and I’m not saying it’s toxic. It’s actually been a very fruitful relationship for both the city, the state of Carolina, and Cam.”
Barber agreed.
“I would say it’s a good relationship,” he said. “But this isn’t about the relationship. This is about the future of their team.”
“Correct,” Tierney said. “If you’re not going to marry Cam – you’ve been dating Cam a long time. If you’re not prepared to put a ring on it, show him respect and move on. And I think that they’ll do that.”