Cam Newton Joins Hall of Famer as NFL Releases Panthers’ Mount Rushmore

Who can talk about the Carolina Panthers without mentioning Cam Newton? In his stint with the team from 2011 to 2019, not only did her lead the Panthers to four playoff appearances and three divison titles, but he also brought in a new dawn. To put things in perspective, in 2010, the Panthers were stuck at 30.3% of third downs. Fast forward to the next year and that percentage had increased to 40.5%! Another interesting statistic suggested how the Heisman Trophy winner helped improve his team’s DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) from a measly -35.8% in 2010 to 18.2% in 2011. That’s a staggering 54% rise right there! And the best part? This was the best improvement in the NFL in the last twenty years at the time!

The first overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Newton, quickly became a prominent figure in his team from his rookie season. He achieved the honor of league MVP and led his team to the Super Bowl 50. But if that’s the case, what stands in the way of him attaining a Pro Football Hall of Famer status? As he appears to be nearing the end of his NFL career, there is ongoing debate about whether the 35-year-old has done enough to be considered for the title. And while that accolade continues to elude him, the NFL recently gave him an honor atop Mount Rushmore that he definitely won’t refuse!

Cam Newton climbs another mountain of greatness!

On June 20, the YouTube channel “NFL Throwback” released the names of all-time stars, giving them the title of Mount Rushmore of their respective teams. The video clip highlighted the presence of Cam Newton in Carolina Panthers. Newton, a dynamic athlete who also played a quarterback, asserted his place in the NFL from the start. The clip underlined Newton’s achievements, narrating, “The 2011 offensive Rookie of the Year racked up 14 rushing touchdowns, setting a new QB record. He would be named MVP just four years later when he took the Panthers to their second-ever Super Bowl.”

The narration continued with his records: “Newton is the team’s all-time leader in passing (194) and rushing (75) touchdowns.” Newton was the only non-HoF player to be included in the Panthers; section alongside inductees Steve Smith, Julius Peppers and a prime candidate for 2025 induction, Luke Kuechly.

And if anyone’s happier about Newton’s recent achievement, it’s none other than his former Auburn Tigers coach Gus Malzahn. In a conversation with 247 Sports a few weeks ago, Malzahn had nothing but praise, mentioning how the 3x Pro-Bowl was the best player in SEC history. “I think he’s the greatest college player to ever play one year. I don’t know how anyone can argue against it. I mean, look at what he did. We didn’t have a lot of NFL players on our team, especially the offense. We won the National Championship, he willed us to win,” he said.

Newton was a part of the Auburn Tigers for just one season (2010). But, despite his short stint, he threw for 30 touchdowns and rushed for 20. He also averaged 10.2 yards per pass attempt and 5.6 yards per rush attempt. In his debut match with the team alone, he completed 9 of 14 passes for 186 yards, no interceptions against Arkansas State, and three touchdowns while running for 171 yards.

Interestingly, there was no reaction from the Carolina Panthers regarding the same. But now with NFL’s acknowledgement, will the 2015 Most Valuable Player finally see his dream of joining the HoF soon?

Will Cam Newton make it to the HOF?

To be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, candidates must receive at least 80 percent approval from the selection committee. Additionally, players and coaches must be retired for at least 5 years before being considered. Cam Newton, who has shown interest in returning to the NFL, will be eligible for the Hall of Fame with the Class of 2029 if he doesn’t play another game and retires.

Even though he hasn’t played in 4 years, according to Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame monitor, which estimates a player’s chances of making it into the Hall, Newton ranks 29th among NFL quarterbacks as of now. Hall of Famers Warren Moon and Joe Namath are above and below him in the list. Moreover, of quarterbacks rated higher than Newton, 17 are already in the Hall of Fame, leaving 11 who could compete with him for votes. Considering his stats and game play, he might be a first ballot Hall of Famer considering when he retires.

As of now, though, there are many who believe the QB has what it takes to enter the revered Hall. And among them is Darin Gantt, a member of the Pro Football HoF, covering the Panthers. As per a conversation with WCNC Charlotte from February this year, Gantt said, “He is unique. He’s one of one,” while adding, “No offense to the Jerricho Cotcherys of the world — he caught it, by the way — but Cam was out there doing Cam things by himself and he willed a team and carried a team to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl. I think he’s special, I think he’s unique, he’s the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks and has more rushing touchdowns than many of the Hall of Fame running backs.”

And even Newton himself has a strong belief in the same. After veteran sports journalist Dan Patrick asked him about it four months ago in his show, Newton paused for a moment, then confidently affirmed, “Hell yeah.” 

Well, it seems Cam Newton might be closer to his dream than you think! What’s your opinion on this? Let us know in the comments below!