Ron Rivera on Cam Newton’s surgery: ‘Best thing that could have happened to him’
When head coach of the Carolina Panthers Ron Rivera said that Cam Newton’s ankle injury was a good things, you’d think he as being ridiculous. But his logic makes sense.
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“In an interesting way, this might have been the best thing to happen to him in terms of his pure quarterbacking development,” Rivera said following Thursday’s practice. “He’s had to stay in the pocket. He’s had to have good footwork. He’s had to step into his throws.”
Newton’s sophomorish tendency to tuck his head and run is disappearing. He’s more patient in the pocket, because his ankle has forced him to be. Time spent moving like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady has Newton thinking and, perhaps, throwing like them. The good news is that Newton will still move like vintage Newton. He’s simply become a more versatile threat.
“Michael Jordan used to go to the hole all the time and dunk, make spectacular layups and stuff like that,” Rivera said. “But if you ask Michael, he learned that later in his career he had to develop that jumper. So he went to work at it.
“Cam’s the same way. He knows he’s got to develop as a passer.”
As far as retaining the aforementioned vintage Newton status, he’s a little ways out form peak physical strength.
“He’s really close, and I think he thinks he’s really close,” Rivera said as he looked ahead to Friday night’s exhibition at New England. “But when he all of a sudden cuts it loose and let’s it go, that’ll be enough to convince me.”