Cam Newton is still surprised Ron Rivera did not seek him out to be his quarterback in Washington.
Rivera and Newton had been together in Carolina since the 2011 NFL draft. It was Rivera’s first head coaching job, and Newton was his first draft choice.
Fast forward nine seasons later into 2019. Washington started 0-5 and finished 3-13. Yet, their best performance of the season was when they went to Carolina and ran the ball all day on the Panthers, winning 29-21.
Ironically, it turned out to be Rivera’s last game as Panthers’ head coach, being fired subsequently. In addition, 2019 was also Cam Newton’s last with the Panthers.
Rivera was hired to coach the Redskins in 2020, and Newton was signed by the Patriots. However, after only one season, the Patriots turned elsewhere.
In 2021, Rivera lost his starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick, in the very first half of the season opener. Having to go with the undrafted, inexperienced Taylor Heinicke, Newton expected a call from Rivera.
Newton expressed his surprise and disappointment about Rivera on his “Funky Friday” podcast two days ago.
“I said at the bare minimum, Washington will come —- with me,” said Newton. “It wasn’t just Ron Rivera. It was d— Marty Hurney, it was Ryan Vermillion, it was everybody. It was Panthers reincarnated in Washington.”
“To not get no call? —-.”
Newton expressed that he and Rivera have yet to discuss it and that he does not know why he never got a call.
“I don’t know whether I was hurt or whatever. It f—– with me, though. I ain’t going to lie. I am not going to be one of these dudes, like Hell no.”
“We started the 2013 season 1-3 and finished 12-4. Coach of the Year. Of course, you’ve been through the, you know, struggle with him.”
“And then to not get a call? Yeah, it was one of them ______, I see what is happening here.”
The Panthers re-signed Newton in the middle of the 2021 season, and sure enough, Washington went to Carolina, and Newton was given his first start. Washington won that day 27-21; however, Newton had his best game of that season, completing 21 of 27 with two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, 10 carries for 46 yards, and a 120.5 passer rating.
Cam Newton 🤝 Ron Rivera pic.twitter.com/yCdCHkbqHw
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 21, 2021
Asked what he and Rivera said that day when on camera greeting each other on the field, “Man, that ain’t no embrace that you can talk to. It was a brief, ‘Hey Coach, What’s going on, man? Always nice to see you. Take a picture. Ok, go poo.'”
Newton said he and Rivera need to chat, and it would be a good conversation for his podcast. He said he would ask Rivera, “What is it?”
Collins Hill grad Taylor Heinicke lifts Washington past Cam Newton, Panthers https://t.co/OmrLlj7H4k pic.twitter.com/o0cjqrUaLR
— Gwinnett Daily Post (@GDPsports) November 22, 2021
“I felt like I could play. They had Taylor Heinicke. Taylor Heinicke, I respect. Uh, Scarface, that’s what we would call him. But to ride with him?”
“Cool, I ain’t going to dwell on that, but I felt a certain type of way that I didn’t get no interest from Washington in an unstable quarterback situation.”
Newton became a free agent after the 2021 season but was never signed by another NFL team.
