The 22-year-old Carolina Panthers quarterback and overall number 1 pick in the NFL draft is realizing just how much his life has changed. Check out Cam Newton’s online Q&A with Interview Magazine’s Jonathan Durbin as the Carolina Panthers’ first year sensation spits the knowledge of how he handles being under the constant glare of super stardom, discusses being a young leader among grown men and gives his biased outlook on music and fashion.
DURBIN: You’re only 22 years old and you’re suddenly in a very intense leadership position. Is that intimidating?
NEWTON: Ummm . . . Not really. That’s just something that comes natural in a person. The hard part is that you’re always in the spotlight. Oftentimes I see myself on TV, and it’s like, “Man, what have I become?” I used to hope I was gonna be on TV, hoping people would see me playing football. Now, I’m being critiqued at the highest level—you know, “Cam didn’t do that right. He didn’t do this right.” Which is fine, but there’s no off switch. If I go downstairs right now and cuss out somebody, it’s going to be on ESPN tomorrow, you can believe that. That’s the difference.
