Written by Barry Wilner, member of the Associated Press, at the WashingtonTimes.com
Cam Newton is now a Super Bowl quarterback with an MVP award.
Offensive Player of the Year, too.
And his coach, Ron Rivera, owns a second NFL honor as well.
Newton, the Carolina Panthers star, won The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards Saturday night.
“It means so much, but not just for myself,” Newton said in a video acceptance speech for the MVP award. “To be the first person in Panthers history to win it – that’s what I’m most proud about. I’ve received a lot of awards, but to be able to get this organization here, I’m really proud. We didn’t get in this position by happenstance. It took years of hard work and dedication, and now we are reaping the benefits.”
Newton was not on hand at NFL Honors because he is kind of busy preparing for a little game on Sunday against Denver. But just as he has for much of the week – for most of the season, really – Newton still was a dominant figure.
His father, mother and two brothers accepted the Offensive Player award.
“Cam took an unconventional journey to get here and we’re just so proud of what has happened, my family and I,” said Newton’s father Cecil. “So many thanks go out to so many people, from Pop Warner to the Panthers. I don’t have time to tell you all, ‘Thank you.’ You know who you are. We know who you are.”
Newton was a landslide choice for MVP with 48 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the NFL. Fellow QBs Tom Brady and Carson Palmer each received one vote.
Newton earned 18 votes for top offensive player. Steelers receiver Antonio Brown was next with 10.
The All-Pro quarterback set an NFL mark for the position with 45 touchdowns this season: 35 passing and 10 rushing. He also ranked sixth in passer rating (99.4), while throwing for 3,837 yards. His 636 yards on the ground easily led all QBs, and the 10 touchdowns rushing were more than All-Pro running back Doug Martin of Tampa Bay scored.
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