The "Cam Newton is Not a Leader" Thing is Back

We became intimately familiar with the “Cam Newton is not a leader” storyline in 2015 as he led the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 regular season and into the Super Bowl. It was a hot-button issue before more pressing hot-button issues supplanted it in the harrowing news cycles of 2016. And, in retrospect, it seems like a downright quaint item to spend so much time and energy on.

But, thankfully, it appears the leadership question is back, via a comment made by ESPN’s Booger McFarland on Ross Tucker’s SirusXM show this morning.

Whoa. @SECBooger on Cam Newton: "People I talk to in Carolina tell me Cam's not a leader and not well liked by a lot of his teammates."
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) June 22, 2017

While we can all agree Newton’s lackluster 2016 season didn’t help the Panthers’ quest to repeat as NFC champions, there’s some debate as to his likability within the locker room.

I'm seconds away from leaving for a trip so I don't have the time but for the record that's simply not true
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 22, 2017

So, like any good disc jockey, let’s play the hits.

Cam Newton: leader or me-first anchor weighing his team down?

Feels just like old times.