Officially, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers, with a hairline fracture of the rib. Unofficially, there’s a reason to think Newton may not play.
According to JoeBusFan.com, FOX analyst and former Buc Ronde Barber told SiriusXM NFL Radio that backup quarterback Derek Anderson attended the pregame production meeting with the network televising the game. Newton also attended.
It’s unclear whether this means that Anderson will play instead of Newton. It’s also unclear whether Barber breached network etiquette by blabbing about the nuances of the production meetings.
Regardless, the backup quarterback usually doesn’t show for the meeting with the network. In this case, it could mean that Anderson is playing. Or it could mean that Panthers coach Ron Rivera knew Barber would blab.
Either way, there’s nothing funny about the possibility that Anderson will play. Unless you’re a Bucs fan.