Panthers quarterback Newton involved in practice scuffle

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Emotions got the best of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton at practice on Monday and he ended up in a heated scuffle.

Fights are common during training camps, but rarely involve franchise quarterbacks.

Newton went at it with cornerback Josh Norman, a skirmish that ended with both players at the bottom of a pile and having to be separated by teammates. Neither player was injured.

The altercation occurred after Norman made a sliding interception against Newton, got up and began to return the ball toward the opposing end zone as defensive players are instructed to do by their coaches. Newton pursued, but coach Ron Rivera said Newton was stiffarmed by Norman along the way.

“It escalated from there,” Rivera said.

As the whistles blew signalling the end of the play, Newton sped up his pursuit of Norman and tackled him near the end zone. The two wrestled on the ground for a few moments as some other players piled on.

Newton and Norman were eventually separated.

An irate Newton got up shouting at Norman — “hit me like that again and you’ll know something” — as he was being restrained by teammates.

After the altercation, veteran linebacker and defensive leader Thomas Davis screamed at the fifth-year quarterback, saying, “That’s stupid. That’s stupid.”

Newton recently was anointed the team’s franchise quarterback, signing a five-year, $103-million contract. Davis and other team leaders know the Panthers can’t afford to have him get hurt.

Rivera said Monday after practice this is normally the time during training camp when tempers began to flare, but acknowledged, “You really don’t expect it to be your quarterback.”

Newton was wearing a red jersey during practice, which is supposed to signal to other players to not touch or tackle him. But it was Newton that instigated the fight.

Rivera, who played nine seasons for the Chicago Bears, was asked if he’s ever seen a quarterback go after another player in practice.

“Yes, remember I played with Jim McMahon,” he joked.