Cam Newton Says He Will Run Football as Long as He Plays in NFL

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton carried the ball a career-high 139 times in 2017, and the three-time Pro Bowler doesn't envision limiting his role in the running game in the future.

"That's my edge. I wouldn't expect you or anybody else to take it away," Newton said Wednesday, per ESPN.com's David Newton. "And when I say you, I mean the media as a whole. I'm comfortable running the football, I feel like I help the team when I'm running the football, and as long as I'm playing this game, I'm going to run the football."

There's no question Newton's mobility is a big part of his game, especially as his passing numbers have declined since his MVP season in 2015. He threw for 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns that year, and by comparison, he had 3,302 passing yards and 22 touchdowns in 2017. And that's despite throwing the ball only three more times in 2015 (495) than in 2017 (492).

And if Newton were to run the ball less, it would have a big impact on the Panthers offense as a whole. Carolina finished the regular season with 5,179 yards. Newton was responsible for just over 78 percent of that total (4,056 yards) through his passing and scrambling.

Still, the more Newton runs, the more wear and tear he's putting on his body, especially considering there have been times when some NFL referees have been reluctant to throw flags when Newton was the victim of illegal hits.

Newton will turn 29 in May, and history shows how much of an anomaly he'll be if he continues carrying the ball at his current rate (about 118 times per season). According to Pro Football Reference, only one quarterback ever—Michael Vick in 2010—has registered at least 100 carries after turning 29.