Panthers quarterback Cam Newton had arthroscopic shoulder surgery Thursday, the team announced.
Team physician Dr. Pat Connor performed the procedure. The club's statement did not outline a timetable for Newton's recovery.
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Newton was bothered by pain in his right shoulder much of last season, hampering his ability to throw the deep ball. He initially had the shoulder surgically repaired in mid-2017.
Newton began having soreness this season, but played through the pain until the Panthers were virtually eliminated from the playoffs. At that point, the Panthers shut him down for the final two games of the year.
There had been great speculation whether the 29-year-old quarterback would require surgery. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in December he was not expected to need it. Earlier this month, Panthers owner David Tepper told ESPN it was still "undecided." But Tepper told the Charlotte Observer the team needs to be prepared in case Newton isn't 100 percent for the start of the 2019 season.
"We've got to make sure we have our options open in all ways possible, just in case. We're all hoping everything will be great — and it could be great. Look at [Andrew] Luck this year. Who knows?
"If you told me that [Newton] took a year off and could be fully recovered and everything else and that's what it took, an extra year, why wouldn't you do that? Now, we would have to do other things and we'd have to go out and get another quarterback, which, if you could find me some more cap space, I'd appreciate that."