Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton gives sage advice to incoming NFL rookies

Matt Alquiza | Aug 14, 2024

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton yells \"I'm back!\" after scoring a rushing touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in a game in 2021. / Rob Schumacher / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cam Newton knows ball. The Carolina Panthers legend accomplished pretty much everything a prospective NFL player could dream of when they enter the league, save for winning a Super Bowl. An NFL MVP, multiple league records, a Super Bowl Berth, the list goes on. Newton was as eclectic as he was electrifying. The former Heisman Trophy winner dominated the NFL from day one, controversially, with his own flair and pizzaz, stamping his legacy as an all-time great in the Queen City. 

That being said: if he talks, young players should listen. 

On a recent episode of his 4th and One show, Newton gave five pieces of sage advice for rookies entering their first year in the NFL. His five non-negotiable for rookie success, aka, "Boogie's By-Laws":

Number one: Shut up and work.
Number two: Find a vet and learn from them.
Number three: You’re only a rookie once. Enjoy it and learn as much as you possibly can. 
Number four: Control your environment.
Number five: The team is not expecting you to get it. They’re expecting you to care. 

BOOGIE'S BYLAWS: @CameronNewton's top five rules every rookie needs to know as they step into the NFL.

Rule #1: STFU and work! (1/5) pic.twitter.com/RAl3m1p5wB

— 4thand1show (@4thand1show) August 13, 2024

Xavier Legette, Jonathan Brooks, Chau Smith-Wade and others; take note. Dave Canales and co. have talked at length about changing the culture in Carolina. The Panthers’ rookies won’t have the ability to lead the locker room vocally, but their work can set the tone for others around them. Superman’s sage advice is a great place for those young guns to start earning their place in the dog-eat-dog world that is the NFL. 

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