Newton needs to grow up

S UPERMAN’S KRYPTONITE is himself.

Cam Newton, allow us to introduce you to your worst enemy: yourself.

Enough already for the increasingly temperamental Panthers star quarterback, who is tarnishing his image before our eyes.

It wasn’t long ago that Newton was being touted as the “face of the NFL.’’

Now Newton’s image is fast morphing into that of a moody, cranky, coddled star who doesn’t have time for the little people. This, I guarantee you, is not what the NFL wants as its “face,’’ nor what the Panthers want inside their locker room.

Newton’s postgame behavior after the Super Bowl 50 loss to the Broncos, the brooding refusal to answer reporters’ questions while hiding under his hoodie before he finally abruptly got up and left, was an indicator of a sore loser.

Then came his sexist behavior toward Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue earlier this month. Newton patronizing the female reporter who asked a perfectly legitimate, wellthought-out football question.

After a day or so being skewered nationally for his behavior, Newton posted a video apology on that seemed genuine and heart-felt.

Two weeks later, though, when Rodrigue returned to the Panthers’ facility for the first time since the incident, Newton blew off his required weekly session with reporters.

Then on Wednesday, after nine minutes meeting with reporters, Newton suddenly bolted from the podium after Observer writer Joe Person asked Newton a question about the offense’s lack of big plays.

“Next question,” Newton barked, and after three seconds of stunned silence in the room from reporters trying to figure out what was so out-of-bounds about that question, he walked out of the room.

So this is where we are with Newton, whose Panthers play at Tampa Bay on Sunday, just a week after they scored only a field goal in an upset loss to the Bears.

The more Newton grapples with the media, the more it will take away from his focus on the field. The sooner he figures that out the better off he and his team will be.