As you may have heard, Cam Newton set an NFL record on Sunday for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season. Considering there are still four games left in the season and Newton is merely a rookie, I think it’s safe to say the kid is pretty legit. After he scampered into the end zone for the record-breaking score, Newton jogged toward the stands and decided to make the game in Tampa Bay one a certain 16-year old girl would never forget. The girl had on a short that said “Mrs. Newton” on the back, so Cam handed her the ball for a souvenir. She didn’t get to keep it very long.
“It was the most amazing moment,” said Katie Brown, whose father surprised her with four front-row tickets to see her favorite player take on the Bucs. “I thought he was going to do his Superman celebration like he normally does, but then all of sudden he started running over and pointed right at me. I was in shock. I thought, I must be in a dream.”
The issue arose when Carolina’s equipment staff realized the Hall of Fame might want the ball. If Brown were a savvy businesswoman, she would have held onto the ball knowing it could be very valuable. Instead, still overwhelmed, she accepted a staff member’s offer of a kicking tee, four hats, and a different ball in exchange for the original.
“I honestly believe Cam deserves to have that ball because it was his record and his achievement.” she told the Associated Press. “He should have it.”
The team insists they will also send her something in the mail, so it appears Brown’s generosity will not go unnoticed. Nice gestures all around, but the Panthers are lucky she was so giddy that she was willing to agree to the exchange. I would have raked them over the coals.
Chest bump to Shutdown Corner for passing the story along.
