COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the door closes on an otherwise remarkable 2015 season with an ugly loss in Super Bowl 50, Cam Newton finds himself at a pivotal point in his professional career.
Despite his team's 15-1 regular-season record and his nearly unanimous MVP selection, the Carolina Panthers quarterback's historic season will now be remembered just as much for the disappointment endured on football's biggest stage as it will be Newton's 49 touchdowns and 4,000 passing yards.
But compared to where his football future stood seven years ago, the 6'5", 245-pound Atlanta native is playing with house money.