After the Carolina Panthers capped off the largest comeback in franchise history over the Philadelphia Eagles, Cam Newton addressed the media. He discussed what goes into a winning formula, the building blocks that create the DNA of a successful team.
“When you talk about good teams and the development and DNA of good teams, winning on the road and winning close games is something you have to do. We did that today.”
The Road to Carolina for Cam Newton and Greg Olsen
Many football fans are quick to recall Newton’s rise to football fame. He was the star quarterback of the Auburn Tigers. Remember that stellar comeback against Alabama during the 2010 Iron Bowl? Yup, that was largely Newton’s doing. In 2011, Newton would become the first player to be awarded the Heisman Trophy, win a national championship and be drafted first overall in the NFL Draft.
In his first season with the Panthers, Newton would smash rookie records in passing and rushing yards. He became the first quarterback to throw 4,000 yards in his rookie campaign. All was well for Newton, but the young quarterback would soon realize that his new favorite target would be his tight end.
When Newton was drafted by the Panthers in 2011, the team would also trade for their new tight end, Greg Olsen. Olsen was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears out of the University of Miami. While he developed some rapport with then-Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, injuries would plague his tenure in Chicago. In the four seasons he played with the team, Olsen’s highest season yard total was 612 in 2009. This ultimately led to a trade to the Carolina Panthers and a chance at an opportunity to forge an unbreakable bond with a new rising star.
Like Brothers, Newton and Olsen Make Each Other Better
Teammates are intricate yet fascinating relationships. Like brothers, there may be the odd instances of clashing with each other. But deep down, there is a high level of respect and admiration. When playing a game, teammates raise each other and inspire one another to play at the highest level. This is the dynamic that Newton and Olsen exhibit every time they take the field for the Panthers.
“I feel like this is a fluid work in progress since we got here together,” Olsen said. “My second half of my career and his career kind of start on the same day when we both get here in 2011. It’s been fun growing together. We’ve played a lot of plays together, we’ve had a lot of reps and walk-throughs. I think that communication, that trust, that level of respect for one another, being open-minded and doing things a certain way, I think that’s the only way you can build that kind of rapport together.”
On the field, the results speak for themselves. In four of the last five seasons, the Panthers have made the playoffs. In three consecutive seasons, Olsen has produced over 1,000 yards of receiving. All of this is a result of Newton making Olsen his go-to target in the big moments of games. That is the art of an effective quarterback/tight end tandem.
Their success even goes beyond their performance on the field. Cam and Greg have shared Thanksgiving dinner together with their respective families. They have also been there for each other during difficult times. When the Panthers lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos, Newton took the loss the hardest. It was Olsen who was there to comfort him. When Olsen had to miss extended periods of time due to injury, Newton would be a support system, inspiring him to get back healthy on the field again. As Newton explains, there is no one as intelligent and effective at his position than Olsen.
“I don’t think Greg gets a lot of credit for his football awareness,” states Newton. “He’s extremely good at that. A lot of times on the field, he does a great job with just finding ways to get open. Of course, the route concepts go however they’re made, but I scramble and I step up and when he sensed that I have trouble, he finds a way to get open.”
Panthers Must Rely on Offense to Carry Team to Playoffs
After their historic comeback victory over the Eagles, Carolina improved to 4-2. But this team could easily be 2-4 if it weren’t for a Graham Gano 63-yard field goal against the New York Giants and the brilliance of the Newton-led offense. In the second half against the Eagles, Newton went 17 of 24 for 210 yards on three drives that resulted in touchdowns. But even the former MVP recognizes that the team needs to start better than they have the last two weeks.
“We didn’t have a good performance in the first half – we know that,” said Newton. “We know that can’t happen, especially versus a good team like that.”
The Panthers recognize that the NFC is difficult. The current NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints are 5-1 and playing incredibly well. If Carolina is going to punch its ticket to the postseason, it will need its offense clicking on all cylinders. Which means the dominant duo of Newton and Olsen needs to play extra well.
One can only look at Greg Olsen’s last full season to highlight his importance to the team. In 2016, 45 of Olsen’s 129 targets were on first down, where he averaged 15.9 yards per catch on 33 receptions. He was also targeted 37 times on third down and had 19 catches, averaging 10.6 yards per catch. This Panthers’ mantra on offense is what got them to the postseason four of the last five years.
The motto for the Panthers is “Keep Pounding.” Newton and Olsen have embraced this to the fullest degree. They never have given up on each other, believing that each can produce to the highest level. When Kelvin Benjamin criticized Newton once he became a Buffalo Bills receiver, it was Olsen who was quick to the quarterback’s defense.
“He was the MVP, wasn’t he?” Olsen reminded of Newton’s 2015 season. “Just in general, you play with an MVP quarterback. There’s like four or five of them in the league, right?
“Obviously, you know how I feel and how we feel about Cam, which I think right now is all that matters.”
For Carolina Panthers fans, let’s hope this bromance never dies.
