Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera defended Cam Newton for his Super Bowl press conference appearance, saying people should have expected it.
Rivera went as far as to say that losing players in the Super Bowl should be exempted from interviews, noting that they’re simply not going to be very happy about talking to the media.
“Because it’s him and because of the stage,” Rivera said of why Newton was so criticized, via ProFootballTalk’s Darin Gantt. “It wasn’t what people wanted, but it should have been what they expected.
“Some of these guys aren’t going to be happy-go-lucky. Some of them are going to be upset and grumpy.”
Rivera, as Gantt noted, was defending Newton’s character more than his behavior. Of course he’s going to stick up for his quarterback. It’s part of his job.
That said, plenty of other athletes know how to carry themselves in a spot like that and display their disappointment without becoming surly or difficult. Brandon Marshall understands, and the New York Yankees contrasted him with Russell Wilson in their media training for players. Newton has been completely unapologetic. Nobody expected Newton go up there and be happy-go-lucky, but it’s not too much to ask for a bit of professionalism and leadership, which Newton did not offer during that moment.
