CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Big contracts don’t always result in big production for star athletes.
But that hasn’t been an issue for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who in June signed a five-year, $103.8 million extension.
Newton has played his best all-around football during Carolina’s 5-0 start. He has been particularly productive in the fourth quarter, with a Total Quarterback Rating of 94.1 that ranks second in the NFL.
The first pick of the 2011 draft had a fourth-quarter rating of 98.9 in Sunday’s 27-23 victory at Seattle, and that was the third-highest total for a quarterback this season.