“Omaha” is so Midwestern, and so last year.
So it only stands to reason that the league’s new-school quarterback of the moment has come up with it’s best audible call at the line.
The Fox broadcast last week picked up Panthers quarterback Cam Newton barking signals at the line, including “Even Janitor.”
Since that’s a new one, someone within earshot of the mics (probably Panther but maybe a Buc) said “Is that real?,” and Newton confirmed.
“It could mean something one week. It could mean totally nothing the next week,” Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula said, via Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review. “Obviously, when you’re using the no-huddle and you have to use words and signals and all that kind of stuff, you’ve got to be creative because teams can pick up on that. [Newton’s] got a good imagination.”
Asked if Newton, who dispenses odd little nicknames to all his teammates, was the creator of the random audible, Shula just grinned.
“I can’t 100 percent confirm that,” he said “Somebody on offense. I think it was him, though.”
Chances are, it was Newton. And it ought to be, considering the way he’s cleaned up on offense this year, leading the league’s top-scoring unit headed into the playoffs.