Doug Williams agrees with Cam Newton’s comments regarding race

“I’ve said it since Day One, I’m an African-American quarterback that might scare some people, because they haven’t seen anything they can compare me to”, Newton said at a press conference Wednesday.

Newton said he hasn’t changed, and has previously responded to his critics.

For example, all black quarterbacks are simply athletic runners who do not have the skill to play from the pocket – with the exception of a gunslinger like Warren Moon or the first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl like Doug Williams. Warren Moon. James Harris. The point is, the league had a bunch of Jackie Robinsons calling signals long before Newton did his first dab.

This is a topic that Newton has danced around for most of his five years in the NFL. I would see the Senior Bowl playing and I see these guys out there busting their tails trying to get drafted, try to have a job to provide for their family or themselves. “He is setting a precedent as far as for how quarterbacks are now – and how they may become”. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back then.

It was three years ago this week that Panthers left tackle Michael Oher declared he was sick of talking about “The Blind Side”, a blockbuster film inspired by his real-life journey to the NFL.

Despite Williams’ success with the Bucs, he discovered during his stay in central Florida that the New South remained the Old South courtesy of his barrage of hate mail and death threats.

But back to Newton, who is prolific on the field as a huge athlete (6-foot-6, 260 pounds) featuring the mobility of somebody much smaller and as a spontaneous performer with the moves of a hip-hop artist.

“When I look in the mirror, it’s me, you know what I’m saying?”

“There’s definitely a lot of fun that’s been going on at my expense”, he said.

The one thing Cam is doing that’s unique to him is dancing after just about every big play he makes.

A running quarterback? An athletic quarterback? The running along the sidelines with a hand to his ear to urge Panthers fans to cheer louder. “There’s a great quote that says, ‘God won’t be too much on you than you can bear.’ And I’m in the position that I can bear so much because of what I’ve been through and what I know, what my dreams and aspirations are”. “He doesn’t make it businesslike”. And maybe there are some people out there who are concerned with who he is, which I think is bad. Ain’t nothing wrong with having fun.

“I don’t think he spends a lot of time with what people think about him if it’s not positive. But at the same time, Cam has got to be careful with what he says to fuel things”.

“Find any way – any way – to win a football game”, Newton said. Randall Cunningham was a scrambling QB with a big arm.

It resonates in so many ways, and so many instances for black folk.

But you know what?

Seahawks fans – or at least that portion of whom are prominent on social media – have so many vendettas going on against Cam Newton, it’s hard to keep them straight. So I told our guys let’s keep our personalities and be who we are. “If you don’t want me to do it, then don’t let me in”, he told a reporter earlier this season.

I have seen him pace a team that is 17-1 this season and going to the Super Bowl next week.

Newton will be the sixth in history. Well, that’s great but the truth of the matter is I just want to be tagged as a Head Coach, because it really should be about your merit more so than anything else – about what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve done. “Obviously Charles (Tillman) is there and Jared Allen, I’ve known Jared for a few years”, he said. Do you think some are starting to accept that this is who you are?

“I guess it’s a good story”.