Cam Newton on Late Hits: ‘I Don’t Feel Safe’

Cam Newton has had enough. In a win against the Cardinals over the weekend, the Panthers quarterback was on the receiving end of another questionable hit  – something that has been an unfortunate trend this season – when defensive tackle Calais Campbell made contact with Newton’s knee in the third quarter. Campbell walked away from the play without a penalty, and Newton left the field irate for good reason.

This hit on Cam Newton should have been a penalty. pic.twitter.com/VA8Q3ooTvy

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) October 30, 2016

After the game, Newton said the physical play he’s been dealing with since the Broncos roughed him up in Week 1 of the season has reached a boiling point. So much so, in fact, that it’s taken the fun out of the game for him because he doesn’t feel safe out on the field anymore.

“It’s really taken the fun out of the game for me, honestly,” Newton said. “Because, at times, I don’t even feel safe.”

Newton said he plans to talk to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the late hits he’s been taking because the only reasoning he’s getting from officials right now is that they missed the play. In Newton’s word, that’s nothing short of “bullcrap.”

The way Cam tells it, officials are telling him they missed the calls and will see it next time. If this is true, I don’t blame him one bit.

— Conor Orr (@ConorOrr) October 30, 2016

Remember, Newton is three weeks removed from missing only the third game of his career due to a concussion he suffered against the Falcons on Oct. 2. The NFL also took some heat following the Panthers’ season-opener against the Broncos when they failed to put him in the concussion protocol despite him taking several hard hits to the head.