Carolina Panthers quarterback and MVP front-runner Cam Newton has put himself on pace for a combination of passing and rushing statistics never before achieved in NFL history.
After 13 games, Newton is on pace for almost 3,800 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns, plus almost 600 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. The number of quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for at least 500 yards and eight touchdowns in a single season? Zero. It has never been done.
Randall Cunningham’s 1990 season is the only year that comes close to what Newton is on pace to achieving to 2015.
The Panthers quarterback has been on a tear over the last six games, throwing for 17 touchdowns and rushing for three other scores. He has five games with a passer rating of at least 100.0 over the stretch, while the Panthers have averaged 36.7 points per game. His place among the MVP favorites has been solidified, especially as Carolina has continued winning.
By the end of the 2015 season, we could be talking about Newton’s year as one of the best ever from a quarterback.
He doesn’t have a gaudy completion percentage (59.1) or an off-the-charts passer rating (96.9). He’s not going to approach all-time records for passing yards or passing touchdowns. But put all together, and it’s clear Newton is producing at a level the NFL has never seen before.
In fact, Newton’s current numbers—3,062 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 480 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns—already represent the first time a quarterback has hit all four benchmarks in a single season. And he still has three games to play.
It’s time to quit complaining about Newton’s dancing and appreciate what he is achieving during one of the most uniquely productive seasons from a quarterback in NFL history.