NFL writer bestows incredible honor on former Panthers QB Cam Newton

Cam Newton is the talk of the town right now. The Carolina Panthers QB has come under fire and seen a lot of support from the internet. It mostly has nothing to do with his level of play during his time with the Panthers (and briefly the New England Patriots), though.

That's because his level of play is practically unmatched by anyone in franchise history. He has a really solid case for being the best player that's ever worn the black and blue, which is why CBS Sports writer Bryan DeArdo believes he ought to have his number retired.

Cam Newton should have number retired, analyst claims

Currently, the Carolina Panthers have just one retired number, and it's 51 for Sam Mills, the icon behind the "Keep Pounding" phrase. The next player to get that treatment is going to join him and stand as the two most iconic Panthers ever.

Bryan DeArdo believes that should be Cam Newton, though he deliberated between Newton and Steve Smith. "This was one of the harder decisions as it came down to Newton and former wideout Steve Smith. Newton ultimately won out largely because of his MVP season in 2015," he wrote.

DeArdo added, "Along with his individual brilliance, Newton spearheaded the Panthers' NFC title run that year that included a 15-1 regular-season record." Smith was for a very long time the best player on the Panthers, but he was a wide receiver and therefore less impactful than a quarterback.

Newton definitely deserves the honor, though. For all Smith did, he didn't necessarily drag the Panthers into contention and into national relevance. The most interesting part here is that Luke Kuechly, an almost guaranteed Hall of Famer, didn't get a mention. He might have a stronger case than Smith.

Whether the Panthers do this for Newton or not remains to be seen, as they do have a fractured relationship right now. There may also be a bit of an informal retirement for the number, as a player would have to be incredibly bold to take the number one. Trevor Etienne and Princely Umanmielen, two rookies this year who wore number one in college, didn't take the chance.