Cam Newton aims to join elites

Cam Newton has not been just another quarterback since his last season with the Auburn Tigers back in 2010-11. Newton burst onto the scene after being a virtual nobody the rest of his college career, which spanned the University of Florida, a JUCO school and then the University of Auburn.

Newton won a national championship in his last season at Auburn, earning him national accolades along with the Heisman Trophy. Newton was a superstar for all of the nation to see, and the Carolina Panthers took notice. In the following NFL Draft, Newton was made the top-overall draft choice, and subsequently the face of the franchise.

While the success on a team level was a bit slow in coming, Newton was showing who he could be. he was dynamic as a rookie, and by his third year the Panthers were winning the NFC South. Fast forward to 2015, and Newton put forth a tremendous campaign. Newton was able to throw for 35 touchdowns while rushing for 10 more, leading Carolina to a 15-1 mark and ultimately, the Super Bowl.

Now, Newton only has to win one more game. If he does that, he joins the select few National Football League quarterbacks that have won Super Bowls, forever etching himself in the elite class. Yes, there have been the Trent Dilfer’s and Brad Johnson’s that have found ways to win championships in the Super Bowl era, but for the most part, only the greats get the job done.

Newton would be the first quarterback to win both the Heisman Trophy and the Super Bowl since Jim Plunkett, who did it back in 1980 with the Oakland Raiders. Only Roger Staubach did it before him, taking down the Heisman with the Navy before winning Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

If Carolina wins this Super Bowl, it could be the start of something special on multiple fronts. For Newton, he is only 26 years old and presumably has a decade in front of him. This could be the first championship of many for the man they call Superman. Meanwhile, the Panthers are a team that seems to have the brightest future in the league. The defense is anchored by young stars in Luke Kuechly and Josh Norman, and only three key players are free agents this offseason, including Norman, along with safety Roman Harper and fullback Mike Tolbert. If they want to, the Panthers can bring back all three.

This Super Bowl is more than just about who wins a title this year. It is about legacy for the young Cam Newton, and perhaps a relatively new team that is hoping to create it’s own identity, and forge it’s own legacy.