The quarterback mess in Atlanta has gotten strange enough that Cam Newton’s name is back in the mix.
The Panthers are set to visit the Falcons this week, and Atlanta’s search for stability under center has turned into a full-blown problem. Since Matt Ryan’s final season in 2021, the Falcons have opened Week 1 with six different quarterbacks. Cooper Rush was the latest to get the call, and after a rough outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, he looks likely to be back out there in Week 2 against Carolina.
The depth chart behind him isn’t offering much relief. Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with an oblique strain, Michael Penix Jr. apparently doesn’t feel comfortable enough to start yet and the only healthy quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Jack Strand. Rush also dealt with back spasms the day before the season opener.
That kind of chaos has sparked some fans to wonder whether Atlanta should reach for a familiar name and try to lure Newton out of retirement. Newton, an Atlanta native who has previously said he is still a Falcons fan, responded to a Bleacher Report post with one mysterious word: "-1ǒVẼ????????"
He also addressed the chatter on the latest episode of his YouTube show, 4th & 1 with Cam Newton.
Newton has not played in an NFL game since the 2021 season, when he returned to Carolina for a short and unsuccessful comeback, going 0-5 as a starter under former head coach Matt Rhule. He has never formally retired, but it looks increasingly likely that his playing days are behind him.
After five years away from the league, Newton will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the first time in 2027.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr Puts Falcons Quarterback Decision Back In Play
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For Carolina, the roster churn continued with the Panthers waiving cornerback Jimmy Horn to make room for linebacker Tyrel Dodson. Dave Canales framed the move as a roster-driven decision and made clear the team still values Horns progress, but in a division where quarterback uncertainty can shift the balance quickly, the Panthers know how much every personnel choice gets filtered through the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
David Teppers Place Among Americas Richest Says Plenty About Panthers Power
Forbes annual Forbes 400 list offered another reminder of just how much financial muscle sits behind the Panthers these days. Owner David Tepper came in at No. 39 among the richest Americans, with Forbes estimating his net worth at $28.5 billion. It is a number that helps explain why Teppers presence around the franchise has carried such weight since he bought the team in 2018.
Teppers fortune has more than doubled over that span, keeping him in a rare class of NFL owners even as the broader list is topped by Elon Musk and followed by Jeff Bezos and other familiar names. For Carolina, the more interesting takeaway is less about the ranking itself than what it says about the level of resources and expectations attached to the organization under Teppers ownership. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Newton Just Entered The Falcons Quarterback Conversation
Cam Newton has been away from the field since 2021, but the former Panthers star has not fully closed the door on an NFL return. With Hall of Fame eligibility coming next year, Newton said he still believes he can play and made a public case for the Falcons, taking aim at Atlantas quarterback decisions in the process while also noting he has not heard from any team despite the fan chatter that keeps linking him back to the league.
Newton also made clear this is more of a long shot than a comeback plan, even if he would welcome the conversation. His comments land in a familiar place for Carolina fans, because every time his name pops back into the quarterback debate, it revives the larger question of how much football is left in him and whether any club is willing to test it after all this time away. [Read more 🡒]