Cam Newton Sets Panthers' Franchise Record for Career Passing and Rushing TDs

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton finished the 2016 season as the team's all-time leader in both passing (136) and rushing touchdowns (48), per NFL Communications.

Newton trailed just Jake Delhomme (120) in passing touchdowns entering 2016, but he added 19 more to his ledger to clear Delhomme by 16, per Pro-Football-Reference.com. He sat behind current Pittsburgh Steelers back DeAngelo Williams (2006-14 with Panthers) for the franchise record in rushing touchdowns, but Newton moved two ahead of Williams after notching five rushing scores this year.

Despite the franchise records falling in his favor, Newton didn't play particularly well under center. The sixth-year pro posted a career-low 75.8 quarterback rating, tossing 14 interceptions on the season while completing just 52.9 percent of his passes—also the worst mark of his career thus far.

The Panthers suffered as a result of Newton's play. A season after going 15-1 and making a trip to the Super Bowl, Carolina finished in the cellar of the NFC South, winning just six games.

The team lost the services of star linebacker Luke Kuechly to a concussion for the last six games of the year, so his return to the defense should provide a major boost next season. However, his health can't necessarily be counted on for the long run given his history of concussions.

If the Panthers have any plans to retake the NFC South crown in 2017, Newton will likely need to return to a form close to 2015, when the star signal-caller finished with 35 passing touchdowns, 10 rushing touchdowns and the Most Valuable Player award.