Quarterbacks are often praised for never showing their emotions. For having the same approach all game long.
Cam Newton is not one of those quarterbacks. Like former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme, Newton wears his emotions on his sleeves — good and bad. His teammates actually talked to Newton to stay more positive.
Tackle Jordan Gross and center Ryan Kalil talked to Newton about staying more upbeat.
“They always get on me – I have a bad tendency of showing my emotions on my face. I have to change it, and I’m trying to change it,” Newton said this week via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “But those guys constantly stay in my ear, saying, ‘You’ve got to be that same leader from the first quarter to the last quarter.’
Newton is obviously a confident player, but we love how he listens to his veterans. He called Gross and Kalil “real heroes” for talking to him and said their words made an impact. He wants direction.
Last week, Newton reportedly stayed encouraging during the Texans game even when things went wrong. We suspect fewer things will go wrong on Saturday against the Bucs.