Cam Newton Ahead of Schedule in Recovery from Shoulder Surgery, Says Ron Rivera

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera provided an update on Cam Newton's recovery from a March 30 surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff.

"He is ahead of schedule," Rivera said after the team's voluntary workout on Monday, per David Newton of ESPN.com. "We're not putting him ahead of schedule. He's doing all the band-work, all the stretching, all the rehab he's supposed to."

Rivera added, "He has a good rehab program going very nicely. I'm excited about what he's doing. As we progress into next week, you guys will get a chance to see him."

The Panthers announced at the time of the surgery that Newton wouldn't throw for 12 weeks and wouldn't throw with his teammates for 16 weeks, keeping him out of action until the third week of June. But Rivera said Monday that the Panthers plan on letting Newton "throw some on the side during the June 13-15 minicamp," according to ESPN's report.

Newton, 28, appeared in 15 games for the Panthers in the 2016 season, throwing for 3,509 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 359 yards and another five scores, though by Newton's lofty standards, it was a down year, especially a season after he was named the NFL MVP.

Part of Newton's down season—and the down year for the Panthers in general, as the team finished 6-10 a year after reaching the Super Bowl—was due in part to the quarterback playing with the rotator cuff injury in the final month of the season, however.