Cam Newton Could Never Play Another Snap in the NFL and Still Be Set for Life
Cam Newton’s NFL career got off to a promising start, but injuries in recent years have limited his playing time and the stats that he has put. That has led to him currently being unemployed after the Panthers released him in March.
The 30-year-old will probably get signed before the season begins, but not necessarily as a starter. Even if no team signs Newton and he never plays another snap in the league, he is set for life and won’t have to worry about money. The contracts he has already signed in his career have crossed the $100 million threshold.
Cam Newton’s NFL career
The Panthers selected Newton with the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and he got off to a quick start, being named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, when he threw for more than 4,000 yards and 21 touchdowns despite the team going 6-10 for the season.
Newton’s career peak came in 2015, when he led the Panthers to a 15-1 record while earning league MVP honors. That season, he threw for 3,837 yards and a career-high 35 touchdowns, and he threw a career-best 10 interceptions.
Since his MVP campaign in 2015, Newton has played in all 16 games just once, and in 2019 he bottomed out by playing in just two games, in which he threw an interception and no touchdowns.
Cam Newton’s contracts and net worth
Newton’s rookie contract paid him $22 million over four seasons, and prior to the 2015 season he signed a five-year extension with the Panthers that was worth $103.8 million.
Overall, Newton’s career earnings in his first nine seasons in the league total $121.4 million. And that doesn’t take into account the money Newton has earned off the field, including his many endorsement deals and entertainment projects, including his 2016 Nickelodeon series All In With Cam Newton.
His salary — which was $16.2 million last season — makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL, and also gives him a high net worth. Newton is worth an estimated $45 million.
Depending on Newton’s expenses, that amount of money should be enough to last him for the rest of his life, and potentially his children, even if he doesn’t make another dime in the NFL.
Future in the NFL
The big questions for Cam Newton are how much he has left in the tank as he enters his age-31 season this fall, and what team — if any — will sign him? He had foot surgery in December to repair the injury that limited him to just a couple of games in 2019.
The injury may make teams leery of signing him. Some potential candidates to sign Newton include the Patriots and Chargers, with both teams needing to fill in holes on their quarterback depth charts after losing Tom Brady and Philip Rivers, respectively, in free agency.
Either of those teams would likely give Newton a chance to at least compete for the starting job. But if the quarterback is willing to sign on as a backup somewhere, his best option may be to go with the Ravens, if they have interest in the former Heisman winner.
Although Newton doesn’t run as much as he used to, he has a similar skillset to reigning MVP Lamar Jackson and would easily fit into the Ravens’ offensive scheme if Jackson suffers an injury. There’s still time left for him to sign, but it is possible that Newton could follow in Andrew Luck’s footsteps and retire at a young age.
Since he doesn’t need any more money, Newton could decide he doesn’t want to risk further injury and hang up his cleats for good. No matter what route Newton chooses to take, he’s had an NFL career that anyone would be proud of.
