Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has spent the bulk of his career trying to bring quarterback Cam Newton down. He now finds himself in a situation where he is lifting his new teammate up with praise.
Newton is certainly no stranger to dealing with criticism throughout his career. McCoy admitted during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show that any negative perception of him has been blown out of proportion.
“There's a big misconception about who he is,” McCoy said. “He loves to have a great time but he's such a caring guy, cares about his teammates and cares about people.
McCoy added that he is not expecting Newton to change any time soon.
“He's unapologetically Cam. That's just who he is. He's going to be that way and I'm excited to be on his team. I got tired of chasing him.”
McCoy spent nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a solid portion of that time was used trying to make Newton feel as uncomfortable in the pocket as possible. Fortunately, it appears the former NFC South rivals are now looking forward to combining forces.
Newton remains as one of the NFL's most polarizing players. Although he has fallen on some rough times as of late due to a lingering shoulder injury, he is still viewed by his peers as one of the most underrated players in the league.
Newton is a few years removed from his MVP campaign in 2015. Fortunately, he will have plenty of help thanks to the influx of star power the Panthers have added in recent years. While the misconceptions about his personality may never change, Carolina's fortunes very well could in the 2019 NFL season.
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