Cam Newton discusses his concussion for the first time: 'I knew I was messed up'
Following his MVP season from a year ago, Cam Newton has endured a shaky 2016 campaign through seven weeks. He’s struggled mightily, as have the Carolina Panthers as a team, but his issues don’t end there.
Newton suffered his first concussion as a pro back on Oct. 2 against the Falcons, knocking him out for one game. It was an injury that Newton wasn’t accustomed to, and one that took some time to overcome.
On Wednesday, Newton talked about his concussion for the first time and described what it felt like.
“I felt like I got sucker-punched,” Newton said at his press conference Wednesday, via the Charlotte Observer. “When I look back at it, I was trying to brace for the hit. Before I could, it was just, ‘Bam, it happened.’”
The biggest criticism of Newton following the hit was that he didn’t appear to make an effort to avoid it. Instead, he strolled into the end zone rather than running full speed to get out of Deion Jones' way. After taking the hit, though, he knew something was wrong.
“I didn’t even know if I scored,” he said. “That’s when I knew I was messed up.”
Even Newton admits he probably could have prevented it.
“I was like, ‘just run through the damn end zone, Cam.’” Newton said.
Newton isn’t used to being injured or forced to miss time. It was an unfamiliar feeling for the physically dominant quarterback, and one he doesn’t ever want to experience again.
“I ain’t never had that feeling,” he said. “I don’t want it to happen to me or nobody else. It was a lesson learned."
