Cam Newton looked lethargic Monday night against the Eagles causing many to question his health. Fox Sports confirmed those suspicions when they reported that Newton was not 100% and was nursing not one, but two ankle issues. When asked about the report Tuesday, Ron Rivera vehemently denied it, saying Newton was “fine,” but according to ESPN Cam admitted that he’s playing through injury.
“If you are asking me am I hurt right now? Yeah, I’m hurt. I haven’t felt 100 percent for a long time,” said Newton, whose Panthers will take a four-game losing streak into Sunday’s game against Atlanta. “But is that going to be my excuse as to why we’re on a losing streak? No. Absolutely not.”
“But if you ask me a question, ‘Is Cam Newton hurt?’ Yes, I’m hurt. That is all honesty. But can Iplay? Yes, I can play and I will be playing.”
“But I know if we were on a four-game winning streak nobody would be caring about that. It’s all about getting a win. When you win, everything else works out fine.”
Hmmmm…doesn’t look good when your head coach is denying an injury report that the player confirms is true and it further calls into question why Newton stayed in Monday night’s game when it was over – continuing to take a beating. Carolina seems to be completely falling apart.