Panthers great Cam Newton recalls his intense pre-game staredowns

Carolina Panthers great Cam Newton is responsible for one of the hardest images in the history of football. You may be familiar . . .

That photo was snapped on January 10, 2015, when the Panthers visited the Seattle Seahawks for a Divisional Round playoff matchup. And Newton, in a recent episode of 4th & 1 with Cam Newton, explained that the staredown didn’t just happen in Seattle—it was actually a pre-game ritual for every road game . . .

(Warning: Explicit language)

Unfortunately for Carolina, one python bit much harder than the other on that particular night.

After completing an improbable run to their second consecutive NFC South title and a Wild Card round triumph over the Arizona Cardinals, the Panthers tried their hand at knocking off the mighty Seahawks. But the “Legion of Boom” boomed.

Newton was picked off twice, once by First-team All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman and once by Second-team All-Pro safety Kam Chancellor—who returned his for a 90-yard touchdown. Seattle took the win, 31-17, and ended up representing the NFC in Super Bowl XLIX.