Cam Newton Walks Out On Reporters After Super Bowl Loss
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- True character is revealed in the face of adversity, not in the enjoyment of success.
On Sunday, the NFL's most valuable player -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton -- immaturely walked out on reporters after his team was embarrassed by the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
A somber Newton was extremely short answering questions with reporters, eventually exiting the stage.
Here was his longest answer.
"They just played better than us," Newton said. "I don't know what you want me to say. They made more plays than us, and that's what it came down to. We had opportunities. There wasn't nothing special that they did. We dropped balls, we turned the ball over, gave up sacks, threw errant passes. That's it. They scored more points than us."
Afterwards, several current and former athletes, as well as local and national members of the media, criticized the 26-year-old QB.
"He went way over the line here," 94WIP Morning Show host Angelo Cataldi said Monday morning. "They're [the media is] attempting to get him to answer questions and he's just being a jerk."
Listen: 94WIP Morning Show's opening segment on the Monday after Super Bowl 50
"When you have the flamboyant answers when you're winning," said Cataldi's co-host and former Flyers forward Keith Jones, "it doesn't play well when you lose."
Two-time Super Bowl champion and eight-time Pro Bowl corner Deion Sanders, in particular, was very critical of Newton on the NFL Network.
"You are the face of our brand right now, you can't do that," Sanders said. "I understand the emotions of losing, but you can't do that. A Manning, a Brady -- all these guys who are a prototypical type of quarterback in our game, they're not going to do that ever. Would Drew Brees ever?
"You're opening yourself for more criticism," Sanders continued. "Because everybody is going to say you're dabbing and smiling and smiling and styling. So this is how you go out when you lose?"
Newton was 18-41 (43.9%) passing, for 265 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception in a 24-10 Panthers loss. He carried the ball six times for 45 yards, but lost two fumbles as well. Newton was under duress all night long, thanks to Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller (6 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection, 2 QB hits, 2 forced fumbles) and the Broncos' vicious defense, whom sacked Newton seven times.
