TODAY’S TALKER

Rejuvenated QB Newton feels like rookie entering Year 9

Cam Newton is feeling rejuvenated entering his ninth NFL season. With a nagging shoulder injury seemingly behind him, three young children at home and a new vegetarian lifestyle, the Carolina Panthers quarterback, 30, seems to be taking a step back in order to move forward.

“I feel like a rookie again,” he said Wednesday as the Panthers continued preparations for Sunday’s home opener vs. the Rams. “I am feeling good and the thrill is still there. I am blessed. Sometimes you need to put things into perspective.” That includes not being totally obsessed about winning a Super Bowl. Yes, the pursuit still drives him, but he’s taking it one day at a time, trying to enjoy the moment more.

Newton won national championships at Blinn Junior College and Auburn. He won the Heisman Trophy after one of the most impressive seasons ever by a college QB. So when he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Panthers the clear expectation was he’d deliver the franchise its first Super Bowl championship.

Newton got the Panthers close in 2015, but Denver’s defense led by Von Miller grounded Carolina’s high-flying offense in Super Bowl 50. The Panthers haven’t won a playoff game since, in part because of Newton’s struggles with right shoulder problems that began late in the 2016 season.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Newton is in great shape and “he’s mentally where he needs to be.” Newton is one of only three NFL QBs to amass more than 33,000 yards from scrimmage in his first eight seasons. He’s thrown for more than 3,000 yards every season and has run for more TDs than any QB in league history.