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Cam Newton on matchup with Ron Rivera: 'It's not about us'

Chandler Vesselsby: Chandler Vessels11/19/21ChandlerVessels

It only seems fitting that Ron Rivera will be there for the return of Cam Newton to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. The two spent nine seasons together in Carolina, making a Super Bowl in 2015.

This time, however, Rivera will be on the opposite sideline coaching the Washington Football team. Both Newton and Rivera left the Panthers after the 2019 season, with the coach being fired and the quarterback being cut.

Despite the connection, Newton isn’t making a big deal out of the reunion.

“Man, it’s not about us,” Newton said to NBC’s Pro Football Talk. “It’s not about him. It’s not about me. He knows how I feel about him, and he knows what it’s going to be on Sunday.”

Washington quickly scooped up Rivera following his firing, while Newton found a home with the New England Patriots. That stint would be short-lived, however, as the team cut him prior to the start of the 2021 season.

It took a few more Sundays, but the quarterback finally made his way back to Charlotte. He signed a deal with the Panthers prior to a Week 10 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Although Newton came off the bench in that one, he finished with a passing and a rushing touchdown. He is slated to start Sunday against Washington in what will be the first time he has played against Rivera since the two left the Panthers.

The hope is Newton’s return will revitalize a team that seemed full of potential to begin the year. The Panthers started off 3-1 before going on a four-game losing streak. An injury to star running back Christian McCaffrey and poor play at quarterback were the major reason for the dip in play.

Both of those issues have now been addressed, as McCaffrey made his return from the hamstring injury in Week 9 against the Patriots. The Panthers scored 34 points this past week against the Cardinals, their highest mark of the season.

Now the attention turns to reclaiming homefield, where Carolina is just 2-3. Cam Newton will try to rectify that against Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.