CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cam Newton was just a few minutes away from the start of the biggest game of his professional career.
With a victory on Sunday night in the NFC championship game, the Panthers would book a date with the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Newton was focused, but as we've come accustomed to, still in the mood to crack a smile.
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So with just 20 minutes to go until a showdown with the Cardinals, Newton posed for a picture with hip-hop stars Young Jeezy and Future, who just so happens to be the ex-boyfriend of Ciara, Russell Wilson's current girlfriend.
bye Cardinals pic.twitter.com/RvbnoZpQ9U
— Micah Peters (@micahpeters_) January 24, 2016
It's an innocuous photo, but one that makes sports media types crack a smile; one that will make Newton doubters fire up another "letter to the editor."