Cam Newton saw the Carolina Panthers go from perennial contenders to NFL bottom dwellers.
That drastic downturn coincided with the firing of long-time head coach Ron Rivera, who was then replaced with Matt Rhule, who was fired not long after his jump to the professional ranks.
Newton – on his 4th and 1 podcast – revealed the stark difference between Rivera and Rhule, providing insight as to why the Panthers haven't been the same since Rivera was shown the door.
“Matt Rhule was an unbelievable guy," Newton said. "We had great conversations. We had great meetings and great insights on the game, family, religion, and just the whole process of how we both got to this situation. But it was a little different coming from Ron Rivera. He knew what it was like to be a player in certain situations. Practice intensity, locker room tension, knowing how to get the most out of their players – it’s just certain different tactics you have to go about."
Rivera has long been a player's coach. He knows what it is like in the locker room. And he knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl.
With Rivera on the sidelines, the Panthers made a run to the Super Bowl, ultimately losing to the Denver Broncos. But Newton played his best with Riverboat Ron as his coach.
On the other hand, the Panthers never made the playoffs under Rhule. There was constant infighting and underperformance on the field. It culminated with Rhule being fired midway through the 2022 season when Steve Wilks took over.
The Panthers never reached their full potential under Rhule. And Newton finally explained why.
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