Victory lap
Super Bowl champs Denver Broncos are greeted with warm welcome.
CHARLOTTE, N. C. (AP) — Cam Newton isn’t apologizing for acting like a “sore loser” after the Super Bowl.
The league’s MVP has been widely criticized for walking out of a three-minute press conference after a 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday in which he answered questions with mostly one- and two-word responses while sulking in his chair wearing a black Carolina Panthers hoodie over his head.
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser,” Newton said Tuesday as players cleaned out their lockers at the team’s downtown stadium.
Newton said he believes the situation is being overblown by the media, and added he doesn’t plan to change how he reacts to losing just to appease his critics.
At one point during Newton’s nearly seven-minute interview, his teammates walked behind the media gathered threedeep around his locker and starting saying, “We love you, Cam,” and even sang him a song lightning the mood.
Newton said his emotions were raw after the game and he simply didn’t want to talk to the media.
“When you invest so much time and sacrifice so much and things don’t go as planned, I think emotions take over,” Newton said. “I think that is what happens.”
Panthers coach Ron Rivera said while he prefers his fifth-year quarterback would have handled the situation a little better, he understands where he is coming from and what he felt at the time.
“If I offended anybody that’s cool, but I know who I am and I’m not about to conform nor bend for anybody’s expectations because yours or anybody’s expectations would never exceed mine,” Newton said.