Cam Newton says he is still trolled a decade over infamous Super Bowl 50 fumble in loss to Broncos: ‘I ca
Cam Newton says one Super Bowl 50 fumble still follows him.Image via: Getty Cam Newton’s legacy is complicated in a way few MVP quarterbacks experience. His 2015 season with the Panthers was dominant, emotional, and unforgettable, the kind of year that usually ends with a championship and permanent praise. Instead, nearly a decade later, one moment still defines how many fans talk about him, no matter how much time has passed or how much he has accomplished since.That moment came late in Super Bowl 50, when Newton fumbled in the fourth quarter and hesitated before diving on the loose ball. The Denver Broncos recovered, sealed the game, and walked away with the title. For many fans, that single hesitation became the lasting image of the night. And according to Newton himself, it has followed him ever since, popping up every time he speaks publicly or posts online.Newton recently acknowledged just how persistent the criticism has been. During a conversation involving Jalen Hurts and later on ESPN’s First Take, he admitted that fans still bring it up constantly, regardless of context. “I didn’t jump on the football in the Super Bowl. I can’t post a Instagram post, a TikTok or even a Twitter post without somebody mentioning that.”
Why the Super Bowl 50 moment still defines the conversation
As soon as that clip circulated on social media, it triggered exactly the reaction Newton described. Fans flooded comment sections with reminders, insults, and blunt judgments that showed how little forgiveness that moment has earned over time. “All that swagger disappeared when his team needed him. He didn’t make the play, and that’s the moment people will never forget,” one fan wrote.Others took quicker shots. “Drake Maye wouldn’t have fumbled,” one fan commented. Newton has admitted that the backlash hurt deeply at the time. In 2015, he was the face of the league, winning games, smiling through criticism, and carrying a Panthers team that looked unstoppable. When the Super Bowl slipped away, the emotional drop was sudden and heavy, and the public response only made it worse. What often gets lost is that Newton has never avoided explaining his reasoning. Just days after the game in February 2016, he addressed the play directly and said there was more to the hesitation than a lack of effort. “I don’t dive for one fumble, because the way my leg was, it could have been contorted in a way. You say my effort. I didn’t dive down. I fumbled, that’s fine,” he said.Newton has accepted responsibility for the mistake, but he has also been clear that one play did not lose the Super Bowl by itself. Even now, years later, that balance between accountability and perspective remains central to how he views the moment. The fans, however, have largely made up their minds, and they continue to remind him every chance they get.
