Amid public outrage over the number of helmet-to-helmet hits he took against the Denver Broncos and an NFL investigation into the Carolina Panthers' response to the last of those collisions, quarterback Cam Newton says he's ready to move on.
"My job is to win football games. My job is not to lobby for my health," Newton said Wednesday. "I feel as if there's times I've been taking hits, they haven't been called. But that's understandable. And sometimes I've been hit and they've been called. So I can't just point the finger and say, 'I haven't gotten calls,' because I have."
Newton was full-go at practice Wednesday, six days after absorbing at least four head shots in the second half of a 21-20 loss to Denver.
Newton said he felt "unbelievable" physically, adding that no NFL player ever feels 100 percent after a game.
Newton defended the Panthers' medical staff, saying he was asked by trainers and game officials throughout the game if he was OK. The league and union are investigating whether the medical team erred by leaving Newton in the game and not evaluating him for a concussion until afterward.
"There's no question I took a couple hits to the head, but I don't think I showed any signs of being concussed," Newton said. "There was no wooziness. I've seen hits in the past where guys kind of stumble. And I've seen hits in the past where it affects their play afterward. It wasn't no kind of tumble to the next play. ...
"I understand I was kind of shocked, hurt. But that comes with football."
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