But let’s give a shout out to the man’s accessories closet, which is now legendary. While his team was losing games to squads the Panthers had previously dominated and Newton was taking a pounding on the field, he showed up to his press conferences wearing outrageously flamboyant things bought, as my mother used to say, “somewhere out around Robin Hood’s barn” (that is not a compliment in Weldon, North Carolina, believe me). This season, though, Big Cam took things all the way up. There was even a hallelujah moment when the Atlanta native wore a footlong foxtail clipped onto his skinny jeans. Before the Panthers’ soul-crushing Super Bowl 50 defeat to the Denver Broncos last February, his news conference clothes always revolved around one – and usually only one – blinged-out centerpiece item: a smartly tailored suit jacket in navy camouflage print, a brightly-colored pair of slip-on shoes done up in sparkles or spikes, or retro flourishes like leather floral boutonnieres. Tall, handsome and extremely confident, Cam is now a bonafide master of the quirky fashion curveball. Newton has always been a charismatic presence in a pressroom. He tried every kind of millionaire diesel jock look imaginable: conservative businessman, Playboy Mansion cat daddy, Harlem Black Dandy, Kentucky Derby preppy hero, and strip club kingpin. He’s tried every kind of millionaire diesel jock look imaginable: conservative businessman, Playboy mansion cat daddy, Harlem Black Dandy, Kentucky Derby preppy hero, and strip club kingpin. And like Russell Westbrook, Newton is known as his league’s most adventurous style guy. For the past several seasons, Newton has kept up a Westbrookian pace with his off-field dressing ideas. Newton has never been a shrinking fashion flower, thank God. Glitter and feathers and fur, oh my! Worn by a pro athlete. After this dismal season, what image comes to mind when Cam’s name is mentioned? A glum-looking guy standing at a news podium dressed in a Broadway costume designer’s idea of a “chic” outfit. Newton’s 2015 NFL MVP Award and his exuberant dabbing celebrations seem like distant memories. His team, the formerly great Carolina Panthers, finished the NFL season on New Year’s Day with a shameful seat at the bottom of the NFC South. Sure Kaepernick’s on-field protests during the playing of the National Anthem stood for something – the issue of African Americans’ disenfranchisement at the hands of law enforcement – that will be remembered for generations.īut know what else will also be remembered, argued about and mawed over for years to come? That after having the worst season of his pro career, Newton is now best known for his - how shall we say? - idiosyncratic postgame press conference fashion choices. Not to take anything away from Colin Kaepernick, but Newton may just be the bravest player in the NFL. Enter one Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers’ QB who is actually big and rebellious. It’s been said that it takes a big man to be a true rebel.
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