Cam Newton injury: Ron Rivera might sit Newton in week 1?
By Hayden Kane
The Carolina Panthers enter the 2014 regular season with plenty of uncertainty as they try to build on an outstanding 2013 season in which they won 12 games and earned an NFC South division title.
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As if some newly created holes on the roster weren’t enough to create unease in Carolina, quarterback Cam Newton enters the season with a lingering rib injury. Those kinds of injuries are no joke for any player, but especially one who takes as much contact as Newton does.
As week 1 gets underway, the question for the Panthers is how much risk there is in playing their franchise player and how likely it is that Newton could actually risk further injury by playing through a hairline fracture in his ribs.
In the interest of keeping Newton healthy for the long haul this season, Panthers’ head coach Ron Rivera is reportedly considering precaution as the best course of action on Sunday morning. Per Ian Rapoport:
#Panthers coach Ron Rivera considering sitting Cam Newton, I’m told. Rivera may hold him back to get healthy for 15 wks. Cam feels good tho
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 7, 2014
Newton took full reps in practice on Saturday and looked like he was good to go. It sounds like there is no question of whether or not Newton could play: it’s just a matter of how uncomfortable he truly is or if it is worth it to have him play through an injury in the opening week of the season.
Stay tuned to FanSided for all of the latest on the Carolina Panthers and all your NFL news and analysis as the 2014 season kicks off.