It’s almost amazing that this needed to be said out loud, by and to serious people.
But because we have to spell things out, Ron Rivera provided clarity Sunday night.
Via Joe Person of TheAthletic.com, the Panthers coach confirmed that former league MVP Cam Newton would be the team’s starting quarterback when healthy, but that they’re “rolling” with former undrafted (and unemployed last September) backup Kyle Allen for the moment.
Allen threw four touchdown passes in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.
Newton stayed home to get treatment on the mid-foot sprain he suffered in the preseason then aggravated later. Coupled with his recovery from a second shoulder surgery, Newton was abysmal against the Buccaneers in Week Two, and not as sharp as normal in Week One.
Whether Allen’s hot hand causes them to reconsider Newton’s level of wellness remains to be seen, but the foot injury is one which was likely to keep him out for multiple weeks anyway.