NFL Rookie of the Year Cam Newton says he was a bad teammate

Cam Newton broke several NFL records his rookie year, playing for the Carolina Panthers. But there is one area that he feels he failed in. In a recent interview with Yahoo, Cam speaks about how he wasn’t the greatest teammate.

“I was very immature,” Newton said when asked about his sometimes moody reaction as losses piled up. “I’ll be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort. … That’s where I have to mature.”

The Panthers went 6-10 during the 2011 season. That’s four more wins than the season prior to Cam’s arrival. As a rookie, it’s understandable that there will be moments where you may not handle things with the grace and aplomb of a vet. That’s what the learning curve is about. Plus, do you want the star of your franchise developing a complacent attitude about losing?