Cam Newton Joins Hall of Famer as NFL Releases Panthers’ Mount Rushmore

Cam Newton’s argument for being in the Hall of Fame gained momentum after veteran sports journalist Dan Patrick asked him about it four months ago in his show. Before answering this, Newton paused for a moment, then confidently responded, “Hell yeah,” affirming that he believes he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

The first overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Newton, quickly became a prominent figure in his team from his rookie season. He achieved the honor of league MVP and led his team, the Carolina Panthers, to the Super Bowl 50. However, as he appears to be nearing the end of his NFL career, there is ongoing debate about whether the 35-year-old has done enough to be considered for the Hall of Fame. And a recent tribute by the NFL has likely increased his Hall of Fame chances.

Cam Newton is a Mount Rushmore for the Panthers!

On June 20, the YouTube channel “NFL Throwback” released the names of all-time stars, giving them the title of Mount Rushmore of their respective teams. The video clip highlighted the presence of Cam Newton when narrating the Rushmores of Carolina Panthers. Newton, a dynamic athlete who also played a quarterback, asserted his place in the NFL from the start. The clip underlined Newton’s achievements, narrating, “The 2011 offensive Rookie of the Year racked up 14 rushing touchdowns, setting a new QB record. He would be named MVP just four years later when he took the Panthers to their second ever Super Bowl.”

The narration continued with his records: “Newton is the team’s all-time leader in passing (194) and rushing (75) touchdowns.” The quarterback has played 11 seasons in his career, and is the only Mount Rushmore who joined the other Panthers’ Hall of Famers in the tribute video by the NFL.

Besides Newton, Steve Smith, Luke Kuechly, and Julius Peppers were named as Mount Rushmores of Panthers this time. Interestingly, Smith is the only HOFer and Newton is the only active player. But will Newton eventually join Steve Smith as a HOFer?

Will Cam Newton make it to the HOF category?

To be elected into the NFL Hall of Fame, candidates must receive at least 80 percent approval from the selection committee. Additionally, players and coaches must be retired for at least 5 years before being considered. Cam Newton, who has shown interest in returning to the NFL, will be eligible for the Hall of Fame with the Class of 2027 if he doesn’t play another game.

According to Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame monitor, which estimates a player’s chances of making it into the Hall, Newton ranks 29th among NFL quarterbacks–between Hall of Famers Warren Moon and Joe Namath. Moreover, of the quarterbacks rated higher than Newton, 17 are already in the Hall of Fame, leaving 11 who could compete with him for votes.

Now it remains to be seen when the quarterbacks’ HOF dream comes true.