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Cam returned to Carolina and immediately scored two touchdowns. Let's scratch a year and a half out of our memory

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Cam Newton was and still is a controversial figure in the NFL. I'm well aware of why you can love him. And I'm well aware of why he can't be tolerated.

Cam is an upbeat guy who really gets high on soccer. When he would score touchdowns, he would pretend to be Superman, dance the dub, or give balls to the kids in the stands. When he lost, he'd stick his head under a towel, and at press conferences he had no words and just waited for it to be over, hurt and detached. And, of course, he came to all the press conferences in mind-blowing outfits.

I don't remember Cam provoking anyone, doing mean things or acting like an arrogant asshole. But at the same time, he was scared to cover the fumble in the Super Bowl, and on social media he writes in some idiotic font.

Cam is a kid in the body of an outstanding athlete. He's the MVP of the 2015 season, and even though it was a long time ago, becoming the most valuable player of the season in a league like this is worth a lot. Guys like that deserve respect.

Newton was no match for the Patriots. Not in style of play, character or attitude, although Bill Belichick said yesterday that the quarterback had no complaints in that regard.

But he's in his place in Carolina. It's his team. And judging from what happened last Sunday, Carolina didn't stop being Cam's team just because he went to Foxborough for a while.

Cam wasn't on the team for a year and a half, but before the game against Arizona, he had already assembled a huddle on the sideline and was charging his teammates, many of whom were seeing him for the first time in their lives -- the personnel changes very quickly in the NFL. "I haven't seen anyone else bring the kind of energy he does. I'm glad he's back," Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey said after the game.

Leaders like Drew Brees, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning are closer and more understandable to me. But far more important is what type of leader fits Carolina.

Head coach Matt Rule has shown that he's always been on a "nothing personal, just business" basis with Cam. He went along with the dismissal of the quarterback and club legend because he believed Cam was done for, and he needed better options. A season and a half went by, and it became clear there was no better option than Cam -- Teddy Bridgewater won four of 15 games, and Sam Darnold was the NFL's leader in interceptions before his injury.

P.J. Walker was listed as the starting quarterback for the game against the Cardinals, but in a first-and-goal situation, the Panthers coaching staff released Cam, though he hardly managed more than five pages in the playbook.

Newton's first touchdown was an away touchdown.

Newton's second touchdown was a passing touchdown to Robby Anderson. Anderson yelled at Darnold on the sideline a week ago after throwing an interception. Ridiculously, Anderson had a successful start to his career with the Jets, but regressed after being selected at the draft by Darnold. He ran off to Carolina and gained 1,000 yards in a season, but then the club took Darnold and the receiver's stats crept down again. No wonder Robbie was so happy at the postgame press conference.

It doesn't matter how sound the Carolina coaches and managers' decisions over the past year and a half regarding quarterbacks have been. The fact is, they gave a three-year, $63 million contract to Teddy Bridgewater that didn't work out. Fact is, they gave the second round draft pick to Sam Darnold and agreed to pay him $18 million for the current season. And all of this is just to remind us that what we have, we don't keep.

No matter how the season ends for the Panthers, fans will still have the memory of Cam Newton running into the stands after a scoring touchdown and yelling, "I'm ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-ack!" in a broken voice.

A show-off, of course, and a dude. But who's to say he doesn't deserve it?





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