If there’s one quarterback who knows all about having the world on his shoulders and having to deal with naysayers who think he isn’t good enough to be a successful QB in the league, it’s Cam Newton.
Cam Newton sees a lot of himself in Lamar Jackson, which is why he wants to take the Ravens rookie quarterback under his wing.
According to The Undefeated’s William C. Rhoden, the Carolina Panthers QB and former league MVP was one of many players around the NFL to reach out to Jackson after the former Louisville Cardinals star was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens
“The first thing he did was say, ‘Here’s my number, give it to Lamar and tell Lamar to give me a call,'” Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome told Rhoden.
Newton wanted Jackson to know he had someone to reach out to as he took his non-traditional way of playing quarterback to the big leagues, because Black QB’s are treaded much differently in the pros.
“I just wanted to be a vessel or an outlet for him,” Newton told Rhoden. “I just know being an African-American quarterback in this league, you’re facing different things than another quarterback might be facing and a lot of it is, your gift may be your curse. Your running ability may be something that people look down upon.”
Newton trult believes he can help Jackson adjust and be a successful qb.
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“Now I look up and I see—here’s another quarterback, a young gunner who reminds me somewhat of myself,” Newton told Rhoden. “He may be doing it faster, he may be more elusive, but at the end of the day, I still want to make the road as easy as possible.”
“My thing has always been, ‘I’m not going to change.’ When I talk to Lamar, my main thing is, ‘Bro, do you. Be you, and that’s what a lot of people are afraid of, because when you’re comfortable with who you are, when you have that aura about yourself that nobody can really teach, that’s when you’re most dangerous.'”
As it turned out, Jackson proved that he belonged when the Ravens turned him when they were 4-5 and he reeled off a 6-1 record to get the team the AFC North crown and a playoff game.
