Cam Newton is set to make a high-profile return to Bank of America Stadium as the Carolina Panthers prepare to host their first home playoff game in a decade.
According to Fox8, on Saturday, January 10, the franchise icon will take part in the team’s pregame ceremony, serving as the Panthers’ “Legend of the Game” and banging the Keep Pounding drum ahead of kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams.
The moment marks Newton’s first official appearance with the organization since his second stint with the team ended in 2021. In recent seasons, Carolina has honored former standouts such as Greg Olsen, Jordan Gross, Mike Rucker, and Captain Munnerlyn in the same role.
Newton’s selection followed days of fan momentum and social media calls for the team to bring him back into the fold as the Panthers returned to playoff contention.
The team all but confirmed Newton’s involvement with a post on X captioned “ŠØŪÑD THĒ DRŪM,” ending with a clip of Newton’s voice declaring, “I know I said I’m back, but in essence, we back.”
The appearance is expected to draw a loud response from fans, especially given the historical symmetry: Carolina’s last home playoff game came during Newton’s 2015 MVP season.
Newton has spoken openly about the emotions tied to seeing the Panthers back in the postseason. On a recent episode of his 4th & 1 podcast, he reflected on the significance of the moment, years after leaving the organization, reacting to the team’s playoff push with visible pride and nostalgia.
His return to Charlotte also comes amid renewed conversation about his NFL status. Last month, Newton addressed the Indianapolis Colts’ decision to reach out to Philip Rivers for a workout, despite Rivers being 44 and retired.
Newton did not hide his frustration. “For 44 years old, coming out of retirement… it’s almost like a slap in my face,” Newton said on the podcast. He emphasized that, unlike Rivers, he has never officially retired. “I did not and will not [retire] because of an opportunity like this,” he said.
Newton also challenged the perception that teams may view him as unavailable. “People be holding people to a standard that they ain’t even holding everybody else to,” he said, pointing out that Rivers had not publicly signaled availability either. When asked directly if he would work out for a team that called, Newton’s answer was immediate: “Yeah.”
He closed the discussion by making his stance clear. “Call my boy, man. Reach out to us. We taking workouts,” Newton said. “I want to be who really want me. If you don’t want me, don’t send for me.”