CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Quarterback Cam Newton will start on Sunday when the Panthers take on Washington’s Football Team at Bank of America Stadium, head coach Matt Rhule confirmed Friday.
Rhule said Newton will take the first snap, but did not rule out quarterback P.J. Walker playing Sunday.
“We’ll have both guys up, ready to play and we’ll probably play both of them,” Rhule said.
Rhule had previously said the Panthers were trending in the direction of starting Newton and had given him first-team reps, but did not officially say he was starting until Friday.
It will be Newton’s first start since the 2020 season when he was with New England, and his first start at Bank of America Stadium since Week 2 of 2019.
Newton, who was signed last week, played in nine snaps in the Panthers’ 34-10 win over the Cardinals. He finished 3 of 4 for 8 yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown.
Newton and the Panthers will face former Panthers coach Ron Rivera, who will also be coaching in his first game at Bank of America Stadium since he was last with the Panthers.
Tickets for the game Sunday are expected to be sold out. On the secondary market, tickets have more than doubled since Newton signed.
“It’s not about him, it’s not about me,” Newton said when asked about Rivera Thursday. “He knows how I feel about him and he knows what it’s going to be Sunday.”
