Newton Sets Record with 32nd Game with TD Pass and Run

While not quite able to lead his team to a season-opening victory, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton did set an NFL record in Thursday's 21-20 loss to the Denver Broncos, becoming the first player in league history to record 32 regular-season appearances with both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown, per Sportsnet Stats.

Previously tied at 31 such games with Hall of Famer Steve Young, the 27-year-old Newton got things started with a 14-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin on Carolina's opening drive, giving the team an early 7-0 lead.

Two drives later, this time late in the second quarter, Newton outraced a couple of defenders to the right pylon for a two-yard rushing touchdown, thereby passing Young for sole possession of first place in the record books.

Unfortunately for Panthers fans, the team failed to reach the end zone for the rest of the night, getting its remaining points on a pair of field goals by kicker Graham Gano.

Newton did lead the Panthers into position for a go-ahead field goal in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, but Gano was wide left on a 50-yard attempt that would have won the game.

Nonetheless, it was still a memorable night for Newton, who also took sole possession of the NFL record for most career rushing touchdowns (44) by a quarterback, per Sportsnet Stats. 

Newton was previously tied with none other than Young atop the all-time leaderboard, though the former has only made 79 regular-season appearances (all starts), whereas the latter played in 169 games (143 starts) over the course of a 15-year career.

By the time he retires, Newton will likely have a gargantuan lead in most of the important all-time rushing records for quarterbacks.