Panthers great Thomas Davis explains the ‘Cam Newton Effect’ in heartfelt tribute to former teammate

For Thomas Davis, it’s a matter of when, not if, the Carolina Panthers honor Cam Newton’s legacy.

The former linebacker and franchise great joined his old teammate on the latest episode of 4th & 1 with Cam Newton . Co-host Omari “Peggy” Collins asked Davis about how the Panthers organization and the City of Charlotte should celebrate’s Newton career when he ultimately retires.

“When that time comes, when he makes that decision—we’re gonna celebrate him in a big way, man,” Davis replied. “Nobody brought more to an NFL city than Cam Newton brought to the Carolinas. Nobody has done more for a single city and for a single organization than Cam Newton has done for the Carolina Panthers.

“And whether he understands that or not, whether he looks at it the way he should it should be looked upon . . . when you walked into a Fan Fest and you see a man with the ability to completely control an entire crowd. We had more fans at our Fan Fests than are coming to the games right now. That was the Cam Newton Effect. That’s what he brought to the city.

“And I think this city absolutely embraced Cam, Cam embraced this city, and he talked about being an athlete and entertainer when he got drafted and he became that. He became one of the biggest names in NFL football . . . in athletics, period.”

Newton, the first No. 1 overall pick in team history, guided the Panthers to heights they hadn’t experienced prior to his arrival. While leading Carolina to three straight division crowns between 2013 and 2015 (a feat that was never accomplished by any current NFC South squad until that time), he became the first Panther to win the Most Valuable Player award and the Offensive Player of the Year award.

And while they fell short of the ultimate height of capturing their first Lombardi Trophy in that magical 15-1 season a decade ago, there’s no doubt Charlotte has never had anything like the “Cam Newton Effect” before or after his presence.

Related