Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton believes that his race is a major factor in why people are so clearly divided on him, not just as an NFL player, but as a person.
"I'm an African-American quarterback that scares people because they haven't seen nothing that they can compare me to," Newton said recently, per the Associated Press.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton is, indeed, something that the general NFL-viewing public has never seen before. He's built like a linebacker and can run over smaller cornerbacks and safeties - and yes, even linebackers - with ease. He's fast and agile and can turn the corner on a defense.
But he's also been able to buck the stereotype of the run-first quarterback this season, becoming a well-rounded signal-caller able to utilize a full arsenal of tools to beat the league's defenses. The Panthers are well aware of this and scheme themselves into situations to take advantage of Newton's abilities. As a result, Newton has collected 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns passing, as well as 636 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing this season.
There are, of course, plenty of offensive drives where Newton runs the ball, especially in goal line situations when Newton will carry the ball out of shotgun behind a fullback. It's nearly unstoppable due to Newton's size. But his running isn't the basis for his game, like other run-first quarterbacks, and neither is it a gimmick. It's a part of his toolbox and has allowed Newton to become one of the best, albeit most unconventional, at his position.
Newton's size also plays a big part in his success. The refrain in the NFL has long been that running quarterbacks simply won't last due to the physical toll it takes on their bodies. Newton has managed to stay healthy even despite being a part of plenty of serious collisions this season. In fact, in five NFL seasons, Newton has missed all of two games.
The biggest problem people seem to have with Newton isn't really his playing style though - it's the way he carries himself. He's brash and brazen and self-confident and likes to put on a show, both during the play and after. Whether that's related to Newton's race, in his mind or the mind of fans, is unknowable.
But maybe Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who is Hispanic, put it best.
"It really should be about your merits more than anything else," Rivera said. "More about what you have accomplished, what you have done. I think that is how we should judge people."
Newton will have yet another chance to prove his merits on Feb. 7 when his Panthers face off against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
