Ron Rivera: Cam Newton's 'Triple Threat' Must Be Accounted for When WFT Play Panthers

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera knows firsthand what kind of challenge Cam Newton can pose on the gridiron.

"He's as dynamic a personality as there is," Rivera said of the Carolina Panthers star on 106.7 The Fan's Sports Junkies. "... We've got to contain him, and that's the truth of the matter. If he's the starting quarterback, we have to contain him. We've got to account for his triple threat; he can run the ball, hand the ball off or throw it."

Rivera coached Newton for nine seasons with the Panthers. He was at the helm when the three-time Pro Bowler threw for 3,837 yards and ran for 636 yards en route to winning MVP in 2015.

Granted, Newton is a diminished version of the quarterback who helped guide Carolina to Super Bowl 50. The 32-year-old hasn't been the same since experiencing nagging shoulder issues, which required surgery in January 2019.

Newton was limited to two games in 2019 before suffering a foot injury, and his 177.1 passing yards per game with the New England Patriots in 2020 were a career low.

Still, Carolina's 34-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals demonstrated the danger he poses to an opposing defense. Newton scored on a two-yard touchdown run with his first touch. His first pass was a two-yard scoring throw to Robby Anderson.

As the 6'5" signal-caller gets more accustomed to the playbook, it seems reasonable to assume his role in the offense will grow.

"I want everything that Cam brings," head coach Matt Rhule said, per The Athletic's Joseph Person. "I don't want Cam lite. I want full Cam — as long as Cam is focused on football, which he is. So it's easy."

Even if P.J. Walker once again opens as the starter against Washington on Sunday or gets the majority of the first-team snaps, Newton's presence alone forces the WFT coaching staff to plan around what he can do with the ball in his hands.