Getty ImagesPanthers quarterback Cam Newton set a new NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback on Sunday when he reached the end zone for the 13th time this season. And then he did what he usually does after he scores a touchdown: He handed the ball to a young fan in the stands.
The only problem was that the Pro Football Hall of Fame had already asked the Panthers to ship the ball to Canton, Ohio, if Newton broke the record. Panthers assistant equipment manager Don Toner said he knew he was going to have an awkward situation on his hands as soon as he saw Newton approaching the fan.
“The funny thing is when Cam scored and started running over there we’re all yelling, ‘Oh no, don’t,’” Toner told the Associated Press. “It was like watching it happen in slow motion. It was painful.”
Fortunately for Toner and the Hall of Fame, the fan was 16-year-old Katie Brown, who was wearing a homemade Cam Newton T-shirt and had asked for tickets to see Newton play for Christmas. When Toner approached her, she was happy to give the ball back.
“I was like, ‘OK, no problem,’” Brown said. “I honestly believe Cam deserves to have that ball because it was his record and his achievement. He should have it.”
The Panthers gave Brown another game-used football and four hats, and they said they’re going to ship her something else. It ought to be something good: Brown’s generosity deserves to be rewarded.
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Seriously, who cares about a damned ball? They all look the same… come to the hall of fame and check out 3,000 balls that all mean different things to different people. It’s about the moment, not the stupid ball that actually crossed the line. Let the fan have it.
“something else” = whatever Cam’s got left from the $180K.
How bout bringing her in to meet the team, having everyone sign a ball for her, and then letting her hang out with Cam for a while?
Let’s see if she thinks the same way in 5 years when she is neck deep in school debt.
Not a huge fan of Cam Newton, but this is pretty cool of the girl to do. Hopefully he sends her more tickets to the games, and a signed football and jersey. The selfless act should not get unrecognized. She could have sold the ball on eBay for gobs of money. Well done Katie Brown.
As if anyone at the HOF would know that this particular ball was used on that particular play.
Ca$h
Give the girl Superbowl tickets…what the hell
they should ship her a few season tickets that ball would be worth a fortune in a few years if he keeps playing the way he is…
Too bad its a 16 year old that probably classier than 80% of the fans in stadiums.
Nice of her to give the ball back so amiably. Couldn’t Cam have gone over and just said hi to her real quick? It would have probably made her life.
They should include a note and her photo in the HoF display case.
4 hats? lol
It’s not all that clever but my buddies and I all call him Omega. Sometimes ooooooooooooomega lights cam action. Then sometime Carlito Brigante MF to the max.
Really taking the ball from a 16yr old? Classy move carolina! If Cam doesn’t care then why should the team?
Season tickets for her and her family for life sounds fair for a HOF game ball, freely given up
They can give it back to her after Christian Ponder breaks the record…
Come on give the poor girl some future tickets, if not for this season than the next one, a REAL Newton jersey and maybe 5 minutes to meet Cam. What the Heck is 4 hats and something in the mail?!?
@renassianceman87
They let her have a different ball. Like you said, who cares what play the ball was used for, it’s just a stupid ball.
Newtonium is infectious. Newtonium is dynamic. Newtonium is the Panthers. And Bank of America is the new Camelot!
The NFL lawyers will now sent her a “cease and desist ” letter over her “counterfeit ” jersey, and fine her $500,000 , all in the name of “Player Safety”.
That’s decent of Newton, and of Katie Brown, the fan. Why not give her an authentic jersey signed by Newton? Those suckers ain’t cheap.
What more could Cam have done…she did what she was supposed to do as a fan. The (real) ball belongs in the hall.
Come on Panthers…
You can do better than 4 hats lol.
Ed Reed gave my boss’s son (who was 10 at the time) his record breaking TD interception football after he ran through the end zone. Reed found out who had the seats, made a phone call, and nicely asked for the ball back because Canton wanted it. The kid got to go to training camp, went behind-the-scenes, met and took photos with a bunch of players, and got a bunch of free autographed stuff. It was more memorable for him to do all of that than actually keep the ball. He still talks about it to this day. Good for the girl. What’s she going to do with the ball anyways?
It’s nice to hear some news about good people every once in a while.
narrabeen23 says: Dec 6, 2011 4:22 PM
How bout bringing her in to meet the team, having everyone sign a ball for her, and then letting her hang out with Cam for a while?
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If it was Sanchez she’d end up pregnant.
Did he get her phone # so he could give it to Mark Sanchez?
They should let her coach the Colts for one game.
Surprised the NFL didn’t fine her for holding onto it in the first place….they fine everyone else!
That is good people right there. I am sure the team will do something in return. It is good to see people in Carolina still have decency and common courtesy.
Pluses all around!
Ponder breaking the record?? how about when tebow has a full season – is there any doubt he will have that record?
Some additional detail on the story… Cam had already said hello to the girl earlier in the game while Carolina was on defense and Cam was on the bench. They called to him from the stands and the girl showed her t-shirt, which had “Katie and Cam” on the front and “Mrs. Newton” on the back – he waved and laughed. That’s why he went straight to her with the TD football.
She is my friends daughter, she is so happy. They sent her a signed Cam Jersey and a few tee shirts today!
Don’t worry they’ll be more balls to come from Cam scoring TD runs this season!!
Katie Brown is classier than the NFL….
I don’t get the negative comments. Everyone in this situation did a positive thing, does anybody bother to read past the headline or (gasp) follow the link to the original article?!
“The Panthers gave Brown another game-used football and four hats”
i fell out of my chair laughing at work after reading this.
at least they weren’t visors.
I thought he would struggle coming into the NFL. I was wrong, the young man is strong, far better than I had expected. I still believe his father tried to sell him to whichever school’s boosters would pay the most, but Cam is a stud. My hat is off to him.
Great feel good story about a very thoughtful teen. The only downside is the NFL has let the HOF become such a dump. Chances are pretty high that the girl’s house is in nicer condition than the HOF. With all that new TV revenue, they really need to bring the Hall out from 1976.
Cam has not turned into the media monster everyone expected. I have to give the guy kudos for his interaction with the fans.
The kid is happy, Cam is happy, the Panthers are happy, the HOF is happy. Half the people posting here are *not* happy. WTF?! Nobody cares what you think.
I hate Cam coming out, but I’m done. There’s just no way to dislike this kid. He does everything right, on and off the field. He may have made some mistakes, but he’s clearly a better person for it…and how can you root against that?
This story made me feel better about the entire world.
Uh, remember the lock out? She should have worked the NFL for every penny she could – just like the players and owners do.
4 hats worn by:
Jake Delhomme
Jimmy Clausen
Matt Moore
Cam Newton
I know the knee jerk reaction to this is to say how classy a gesture it was for this girl to give the ball back for squat.
I think it is stupid. It is not a person’s responsibility to do nice things for billion dollar corporations, nor million dollar athletes for that matter.
Fans have no “responsibility” to the game of football. Football is a business.
The league charges fans for everything. If the ball “belongs” in the hall, let them buy it. Let’s send a little money in the other direction for once. Her father or mother (assuming they were there) should have stepped in and said, “We’re taking the ball home. Call us with an offer”.
I’m thinking that ball may have been worth a year or two of college for Katie.
The league preys on people who think you have some sort of responsibility to them.
You don’t.
If Cam doesn’t care then why should the team?
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it’s not the team, it’s the hall of fame people most likely. honestly, Brown showed class here and hopefully got a signed jersey and other things, i think they should invite her to practice one day.
and Ponder breaking the record!!! Ponder doesnt run much for TDs, if anyone breaks this record it’s Cam Newton, Tim Tebow or a future NFL qb who has size.
so the Panthers and the HOF took advantage of a 16 year old by :
giving her 4 hats and a random sweaty ball with a random snowglobe to be named later
in exchange for an all time record setting ball of significant value?
way to screw over a kid NFL! good job.
I’m happy for Cam. He is going to be something to watch in the coming years. I thought the Panthers got screwed when Luck decided to stay in college, but he has proven me wrong.
Setting the rushing td by a qb in a season record was considered one of the 5 hardest NFL records to break. The record stood for over 35 years.
To give this record perspective, it was set by Steve Grogan of the NE Pats. He started as a running qb but over time, and as he lost his ability to run due to a myriad of injuries, he drastically improved his passing game and became a more complete player.
When one looks at the players who have come and gone who were in position to break it, it’s amazing that Steve held it for so long.
John Elway
Fran Tarkenton
Steve Young
Randell Cunningham
Warren Moon
Donovan McNabb
Kordell Stewart
Michael Vick and many more.
A tip of the hat to Steve Grogan, one of the toughest qb’s to ever play the game.
justanotherdummy says:Dec 6, 2011 5:05 PM
I thought he would struggle coming into the NFL. I was wrong, the young man is strong, far better than I had expected. I still believe his father tried to sell him to whichever school’s boosters would pay the most, but Cam is a stud. My hat is off to him.
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Why am I not surprised u would believe his father tried to get paid for him. U simply listened to the same folks who made up all these questions about his ability to play in the NFL despite his background showing otherwise.
I guess since he’s not Andrew Luck, we’ll simply believe everything negative thing we hear about Cam, right?
You know, ESPN’s article stated she jokingly asked for Cam to take her to prom…Maybe he ought to do just that, as opposed to sending money or anything.
I’ve always felt something like that would be more memorable than a bunch of memorabilia.
Pilot 2011 – classic comment – still laughing!!! Give her a couple of season tickets for 5 years. And more hats!!! LOL!
Four hats? Really? Good job.
If that was me, I’d be asking for season tickets for the next three years, a pass to where I can meet all the players, a football autographed by the team, and an autographed Cam Newton jersey.
But that’s just me. I collect sports memorabilia so yeah.. I’d ask for a lot. But she should get something in return instead of 4 freakin’ hats.
That’s ridiculous.
Oh… and she should also get the “talk” about birds and the bees from Cam Newton. Who better to give you the talk than Newton?
I don’t think the football will be worth that much. Unless he doesn’t run for another TD. Once he get’s one more TD the previous ball isn’t worth much.
It was nice of the girl though to give it up.
I’m sure she got paid for it. Also I can’t stand Cam Newton, just for the record lol
It’s actually hard to believe that Grogan’s record held as long as it did considering the likes of Young, Cunningham, Moon, etc. have played since.
This guy has been much better than I expected…
cam is a freaking rockstar, he’s already the face of the carolinas. anyone who doesn’t love the kid is a loser. all he does is make incredible plays every sunday. he throws tds, runs for tds, and gives the balls to little kids. there isn’t a more incredible, more likable guy in the nfl
Her name should be included on the Hall of Fame plaque like “Donated by Katie Brown”.
I bet it’ll be Newton’s jersey from the game, autographed. That would be a classy move by the Panthers if it happened.
renaissanceman87 nailed it, first post…….
Really NFL, NFL Players, you make millions off us, and you want to take the ball back. The moment was not he rushing touchdown, you a55clowns, it was that Cam was giving the ball to the 16 yr old girl in the HOMEMADE T-SHIRT. You People are idiots. Hey D Toner, it wasn;t Cam’s ball, it was te girl’s, who paid $75 for the ticket. NFL, that story is a free commercial, a free PRICELESS moment for Visa, and you are more concerned about getting an extra $25 from some one NOT to see it at the NFL hof. Pathetic.
It’s a shame that some people are so miserable they can read a story like this and just be cynical. It’s a nice story and the girl sounds like a nice kid.
The more I hear about Newton, the more I like him.
To quote Michael Irvin and Deon Sanders……
“Cam! Ohhhhhhh Cam!”
Classless are most of these posts’ Thanx Cam!!
“Don’t worry they’ll be more balls to come from Cam scoring TD runs this season!!”
Sure, as long as he keeps calling his own number from the one yard line. Bet his running backs love him for that.
No wonder his team is 4-8, and their wins have been against NFL powerhouses the Jags, Colts, Redskins, and Bucs — none with more than 4 wins themselves.
Duh, WINNING.