CHARLOTTE - Not that long ago, it wasn't yet clear that Cam Newton would be the Panthers' starting quarterback.
Now, it's difficult to envision anyone other than Newton in that role.
Roughly four years ago, a few months after Carolina made Newton the first No. 1 overall draft pick in franchise history, he and 2010 starter Jimmy Clausen found themselves in close competition at training camp for the starting role.
The Panthers ultimately decided to begin the regular season with Newton under center, but based on how much of a rookie he had looked like in the preseason, no one really knew what to expect when Carolina opened at Arizona.
What followed was a performance for the ages, a dazzling debut that immediately erased all doubts about who would be the team's starting quarterback as long as Newton remained with the Panthers.
Tuesday, Newton and the Panthers extended that stay significantly with the two sides executing a five-year contract extension through the 2020 season.
That game against the Cardinals truly was only the beginning for Newton, but what a beginning it was. He threw for 422 yards – the most ever in an NFL debut and tied for the most ever by an NFL rookie – and he went airborne for a 1-yard touchdown run to go with two touchdown passes.
View photos from Cam Newton's career in Carolina from his rookie year in 2011 through 2019. Newton is Carolina's all-time leader in nearly every quarterback statistical category.
Carolina Panthers celebrate after defeating the Arizona Cardinals to win the NFC Conference Championship
Cam Newton visits various locations around Charlotte during his annual Santa Cam's Surprise Sleigh on Tuesday, December 11, 2018.
Cam Newton runs for a touchdown during a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, November 26, 2017.
Cam Newton celebrates a touchdown during a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, November 26, 2017.
Cam Newton celebrates after a touchdown during the game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, at Bank of America Stadium.
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers against Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Christian McCaffrey celebrates a touchdown with Cam Newton against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, November 25, 2018.
Cam Newton passes the ball against the Seattle Seahawks at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, November 25, 2018.
Cam Newton visits the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club on Marsh Road on November 12, 2018.
Cam Newton and Julius Peppers laugh on the sidelines during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Carolina Panther Cam Newton (1) dives for the end zone against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, November 5, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Newton celebrates a touchdown in the endzone against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Nov 4, 2018.
Cam Newton gives away a football and bracelet to fans during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Cam Newton smiles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, Nov 4, 2018.
Cam Newton looks to pass during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Cam Newton and Thomas Davis travel for their game against Washington on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018.
Cam Newton (1) looks for a fan to give the ball away to after scoring against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, November 5, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Newton leaps in the air as he rushes the ball during the game against the Giants on Sun., Oct. 7, 2018.
Cam Newton scores a touchdown during a week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Cam Newton during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Bank of America Stadium on Sunday, September 23, 2018.
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers against Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Steve Smith visits Cam Newton during Panthers practice on Thursday, September 6, 2018.
Cam Newton passes during a game against the New Orleans Saints in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, January 7, 2018 in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez)
Cam Newton during the Carolina Panthers game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October, 29, 2017, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.
Cam Newton Carolina Panthers against Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Greg Olsen and Cam Newton celebrate a touchdown during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 16, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Newton passes against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 10, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Newton runs out of the tunnel during pregame against the Green Bay Packers at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 16, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Cam Newton and Jonathan Stewart celebrate a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings at Bank of American Stadium on Sunday, December 10, 2017 in Charlotte, NC.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) leaps over center Ryan Kalil (67) and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Justin Bethel (28) and strong safety Tony Jefferson (22) to score on a 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter during the NFC Championship game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Jan 24, 2016. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 49-15. (Kirby Lee/NFL)
Cam Newton carries the football during a game against the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football at Bank of America Stadium on Monday, November 13, 2017.
Newton's debut marked the start of my second season at Panthers.com. My first season in 2010 began with a 31-18 loss to the New York Giants – a point total that Carolina wouldn't again achieve until Week 7. So I, like most others, was beside myself with excitement over what I saw from Newton that day.
One person who was anything but excited? Newton.
"It's not a comfortable feeling for me," Newton said following the 28-21 loss. "We've just got to go back and get better."
Newton has gotten better as a player, and he's gotten better about dealing with losses. But many of the attributes that were on display in his Panthers debut are as true today as they were on that Sunday, and they're among the reasons why Carolina signed him to a historic extension.
HE'S A WINNER: That loss in Arizona marked Newton's first loss in a game that counted in nearly two calendar years (and he wasn't in a good mood after losing in the preseason, either). He won a national title at Blinn Junior College the year before doing the same at Auburn.
The Panthers improved by four victories Newton's rookie season, finishing 6-10, and added another victory to the total in 2012. In 2013, Carolina took several steps forward with a 12-4 mark that resulted in an NFC South championship. Then last year, after a dizzying series of personal setbacks (see below), Newton helped a team on a six-game slide right the ship just in time to capture another NFC South crown.
At least as much as Newton loves to win, he hates to lose. This team should continue to be a factor in the Super Bowl chase with Newton under center.
HE'S TOUGH AS NAILS: In his first career game, Newton showed off his unique mix of athleticism and physicality, leaping over some Cardinals and into some others for a touchdown – his first of an NFL record (for quarterbacks) 14 rushing touchdowns that season.
Newton's toughness was tested more than ever this past season. Offseason ankle surgery sidelined him until training camp, then a rib injury suffered in the preseason forced him to miss his first NFL game in the season opener despite his determination to play. Those tests were nothing compared to what happened last December, when Newton's truck flipped multiple times in a two-car accident and he suffered two broken bones in his back. Thirteen days later, he led the Panthers to a victory, moving around like nothing had ever happened.
Newton won't let anything derail his pursuit of success.
HE'S STILL IMPROVING: If not for the hurdles he had to overcome last season, Newton surely would have continued his upward trend. He blitzed the league as a rookie, then the league blitzed back his second season – yet Newton fought through it. His improvement in 2013 was obvious.
Newton will be the first to tell you that he hasn't played his best football yet. That's a good thing for Panthers fans, who have known Newton's capabilities since his NFL debut and have many reasons to believe he's growing into a quarterback that will play that way every Sunday.
