Field Level Media
26 May 2020, 03:10 GMT+10
One of Cam Newton's former teammates said he thinks the Carolina Panthers erred multiple times in regard to their treatment of the quarterback.
Retired three-time Pro Bowl fullback Mike Tolbert told The Athletic on Monday that the Panthers mismanaged Newton both before and during his departure.
When asked if the team erred by waiting to release Newton relatively late in free agency, Tolbert was blunt with his response. "Yes," he said.
Tolbert, 34, didn't stop there, however.
"They've been doing him wrong timing-wise for the past two or three years, if you ask me," said Tolbert, who played with the Panthers from 2012-16.
"It goes back to his shoulder surgery. Everyone knew his shoulder was messed up in the middle of the year two years ago. But they wait until offseason gets ready to start to have shoulder surgery. Makes no sense. Timing's off. As soon as he got hurt (last) preseason against the Patriots, they were saying, 'Oh, he's got a high-ankle sprain.' ... But you wait 'til December for him to beg you to have surgery. He shouldn't have been out there Week 1 and 2. He shouldn't have been out there probably 'til Week 4 or 5, at minimum."
Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has yet to sign with another team since the Panthers saved $19.1 million in salary-cap space by releasing him on March 24.
The 31-year-old Newton is coming off of Lisfranc surgery and had a shoulder operation prior to the 2019 season.
In limited action in 2019, Newton passed for 572 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Overall, he has thrown for 29,041 yards, 182 touchdowns and 108 interceptions in 125 games (124 starts). He also has rushed for 4,806 yards and 58 scores.
Newton was the NFL MVP in 2015 when he passed for 3,837 yards and a career-best 35 touchdowns while leading Carolina to the Super Bowl. He was intercepted 10 times and also rushed for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of San Jose Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to San Jose Sun.
More InformationBEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) unveiled a 23-member roster for the men's national team training...
Washington DC [US], June 9 (ANI): Sony Pictures Animation unveiled the voice cast for its upcoming feature 'GOAT' on Monday. The film...
New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): While the official announcement for the inaugural edition of the Shooting League of India has already...
The business of college sports was upended after a federal judge approved a settlement between the NCAA and former college athletes...
(250607) -- LONDON, June 7, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Cass performs at the dunk show during Jr. NBA 3v3 tournament at Trafalgar Square in London,...
(Photo credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn Images) Formula 1 is hot on the tail of the big dog of professional sports marketing,...
BERN, Switzerland: UBS faces a sweeping new capital requirement from the Swiss government, which this week proposed changes that could...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: At a Walmart Supercenter in New Jersey, buttercream borders and edible-ink cartoons aren't just about sweet...
NEW YORK, New York - Wall Street delivered a split performance on Monday, with the Nasdaq Composite notching up gains while the Dow...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Luxury group Kering is in exclusive discussions to sell a stake in its prime New York real estate asset on...
CINCINNATI, Ohio: Facing global economic headwinds and mounting tariff pressures, Procter & Gamble announced plans this week to cut...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Tesla saw a sharp decline in sales across several major European markets in May, marking its fifth consecutive...