Cam Newton Officially Active, Starting for Panthers for First Time Since Crash

Just a little under two weeks since he was involved in a car accident that left him with two fractures in his back, Cam Newton will return to the field on Sunday when the Carolina Panthers face the Cleveland Browns.

The Panthers confirmed the news via their Twitter account:  

With the Panthers (5-8-1) holding onto the possibility of still winning the NFC South—they need to win out, including next week's game against the Atlanta Falcons, and hope that the New Orleans Saints lose once—the return of Newton is huge. 

While Newton has had his struggles this year, he's still a better, more versatile option than Derek Anderson. Newton has thrown for 2,812 yards this season with 16 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, completing 58.4 percent of his passes. He's also rushed for 425 yards and three touchdowns. 

The Panthers will certainly need Newton to be at his best if they hope to reach the playoffs. He was excellent in his last game before the car accident, throwing for 226 and three touchdowns while rushing for 83 yards and another score in a 41-10 drubbing of the Saints. The Panthers would certainly love a repeat performance.

The fact that Newton is starting on Sunday isn't a huge surprise, as reports emerged on Saturday that he would get the start after head coach Ron Rivera said on Friday that he was "confident" Newton would start against the Browns, per David Newton of ESPN.

The game will pit two former Heisman Trophy winners against one another, as Johnny Manziel will be making his second start for Cleveland.

Related Cam Newton Content

• Newton Involved in Car Accident
• Newton Won't Be Charged for Crash
• Panthers Announce Newton Will Not Start Week 15 
• Newton's First Press Conference After Accident
• Newton Likely to Start in Week 16