‘Still got it’: QB Newton throws at Auburn pro day
AUBURN, Ala. — After not playing at all during the 2022 season, Cam Newton got to show what he can still do.
Newton, 33, threw in front of scouts at a pro day event Tuesday at Auburn, where he won a Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the 2010 season.
The 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player was invited to throw at Auburn by his younger brother, Caylin — a former quarterback at Howard who finished his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Auburn and William & Mary.
“This was him showing love to me,” Caylin Newton said of his older brother. “He doesn’t owe anybody anything. He has had an amazing journey, an amazing career in the NFL. He has nothing to prove to anybody. … He came to show his ability, show he still has it.
“I think, for him, this was a selfless act. But it was also to show and prove to everybody he’s not sitting around. He’s still got it. Whatever organization wants to get a winning quarterback, his number’s still open and available.”
Cam Newton declined to speak to reporters in Auburn on Tuesday. During the workout, Newton threw more than 30 passes to several NFL hopefuls from Auburn, including wide receiver Shedrick Jackson.
“That was fun,” Jackson said. “That was probably my most favorite part, just learning his lingo, seeing his cadence. He’s got good touch on the ball. … I think he’s still got it.”
In perhaps the biggest highlight of the workout, Newton showcased his trademark scrambling ability in the pocket before throwing a 50-yard pass downfield to his younger brother.
Newton, who has played 11 seasons as a pro, hasn’t attempted a pass in an NFL game since Dec. 26, 2021. He rejoined the Carolina Panthers midway through the 2021 season and went 0-5 as a starting quarterback.
Newton’s last full season in the league came in 2020, when he was a member of the New England Patriots. Newton was a three-time Pro Bowl selection in his first stint with the Panthers, where he won both AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and MVP honors while also leading the team to Super Bowl 50.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft made headlines Monday evening when he announced on social media that he would throw at Auburn’s pro day.
“Tell me how these randoms keep getting jobs?” Newton said in a video posted to Twitter. “Don’t worry about it. I’m going to show you. I can’t wait to show you.”
According to his younger brother, Newton has been working hard to get back into the league after a year away.
“What everyone sees on the TV screen, they see his character and they see his confidence,” Caylin Newton said.
“They don’t see the grit. They don’t see how many hours he puts in. So, the media has what they say about who he is. I know who he is. And anywhere he’s been, they know who he is, too.”
Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley on Monday was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.
Right-hander Grant Holmes, meanwhile, has opted to rehab his injured right elbow rather than undergoing Tommy John surgery, manager Brian Snitker told reporters.
Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25.
The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett before opening a home series against Milwaukee on Monday night. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.
Riley is hitting .260 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.
Snitker said Holmes, who has damage to his UCL, made the decision to not have surgery at the present time after consulting with two doctors. The pitcher could also reconsider and have surgery after the season.
Snitker did not give a timeline as to when Snitker, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 27, will begin throwing again. He is not eligible to be activated until Sept. 26.
Holmes is 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 123 strikeouts this season. He had 15 strikeouts in a game against the Colorado Rockies in June.
The Braves’ other Opening Day starters also are all on the injured list, with AJ Smith-Shawver out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.
Snitker said All-Star left-hander Chris Sale threw a bullpen session as he works his way back from a fractured rib. He is next scheduled to throw live batting practice.
Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on the IL on March 29 with shoulder inflammation after one start, is playing catch, but Snitker said there is no timetable for his return.
Spencer Schwellenbach, who is recovering from a fractured elbow, has not resumed throwing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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