Cam Newton has been shut down by the Carolina Panthers for the final two weeks of the season due to a shoulder injury that’s been plaguing him most of the season.
However, the injury reportedly will not require offseason surgery, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
No shoulder surgery necessary for Cam Newton this offseason according to @mortreport on ESPN just now.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) December 23, 2018
Unfortunately, one cannot help but wonder if this is going to turn out exactly like it did last year. Remember, Newton opted not to have surgery on his throwing shoulder, only to finally decide it was necessary at the end of March. This pushed his recovery timetable well into the summer, which clashed a bit with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
Hopefully for Carolina’s sake, we don’t see history repeating itself this winter.
Despite the shoulder injury, and despite getting off to a late start in Turner’s offensive system, Newton had a very solid year for the Panthers. He finished the season having completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 3,395 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.