Panthers Approve of Newton’s Offseason Activities

It’s been a busy offseason packed full of sport, travel and adventure all over the United States and beyond for Cam Newton.

But despite the ink still being fresh on his five-year, $103.8 million contract extension, the Carolina Panthers have made it public that they have no qualms about Newton’s potentially dangerous offseason activities.

“They’re guys. You can’t put them in bubble wrap. You just can’t do it,” said Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman with an air of defiance. “It doesn’t make a difference who it is. They’re twenty-something-year-old guys full of vim and vinegar. So [let them] go.”

It’s hard to picture Gettleman whistling the same tune if his franchise quarterback were to go down with injury somewhere other than the football turf.

In 2012, Baltimore Ravens fans were made a little anxious by reports that Terrelle Suggs had injured his Achilles playing a casual game of basketball, so it’s understandable that teams would want to limit the strenuous activities of their players to some extent.

Newton, on the other hand, enjoyed a pre-deal game of Knockerball – soccer except everyone wears a giant bubble over their upper body – while also participating in a flag football game in Atlanta and even a trip down under for a kick-around with the Australian Football League’s Richmond Tigers after signing his extension.

The important thing is nobody got injured, and the Panthers should be commended for their maturity in dealing with a player yet to fully reach maturity himself, and who still wants to experience his youth during the offseason.

After all, there are worse things NFL players have done to pass the time besides knocking someone’s shoe clean off while wearing a giant bubble. Let Cam have this one.