NEWTON ‘HURTING’

Cam Newton’s teammate, Jerricho Cotchery, thinks the Carolina Panthers quarterback’s career will recover from his dismal performance in Super Bowl 50 provided he handles defeat “as a man.”

Newton attracted criticism for a series of terse and mumbled responses in his postgame news conference before leaving the podium after less than two minutes.

However, veteran wide receiver Cotchery defended Newton’s actions and said they were merely a result of the disappointment caused by the Denver Broncos’ 24-10 triumph.

“He is just hurting,” Cotchery told USA TODAY Sports. “He put in a lot of work. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him. I’ve seen the work he puts in.

“We all have areas we can grow. He has family and friends. They will talk to him and say whatever they need to, to help him. It was a tough night for us all.”

Carolina put together a league-best 15-1 record in the regular season, largely thanks to Newton’s spectacular and confident play. Sunday, though, the Denver defense proved to be too strong, intercepting Newton once and recovering two costly fumbles.

Cotchery, 33, sees no reason why the Panthers can’t continue to be competitive as Newton continues to grow in stature and experience.

“As you get older, you get to things a little bit differently,” Cotchery said. “A lot of the younger guys have long futures in this league. They are going to be fueled to get back to this place. As you get older, you just try to take it the best it is. You just try to use it and come back as a man.

“At this point in time. (Newton should) just sit through the night and think about what just took place and just try to grow from it,” Cotchery added. “See what you’ve been taught in that moment.”