Former Panthers defender makes brutally honest admission that should finally lift the blame from Cam Newton for Super Bowl blunder
It's been nearly 10 years since the Carolina Panthers' loss to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XL, but it's still a painful memory for fans in the Carolinas. The first thing that comes to mind for most fans when thinking back to the Panthers' loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos is the fumble […]
It's been nearly 10 years since the Carolina Panthers' loss to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XL, but it's still a painful memory for fans in the Carolinas.
The first thing that comes to mind for most fans when thinking back to the Panthers' loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos is the fumble late in the fourth quarter that Cam Newton didn't immediately dive on.
That play essentially sealed the win for the Broncos.
And nearly a decade later, it's play that is still brought up often when Newton's named is mentioned.
A recent admission from former Panthers defensive back Robert McClain, however, may provide reason to finally let Newton off the hook for his Super Bowl fumble.
McClain recently admitted on NFL Players: Second Acts that he should've made an interception on the opening drive of Super Bowl XL that he says he likely would've returned for a touchdown.
"That changed the game," said McClain of not making the interception on the opening drive. "I should've got two hands out there. I would've took it back 90 yards….there's plays we know we could've made, defensively or offensively, that we could've won the game."
If McClain makes that play and returns it for a touchdown, Newton is probably never in the position that he was late in the fourth quarter.
Instead, Denver scored 10 points in the first quarter and the Panthers were never able to overcome the deficit.
If nothing else, McClain's admission shows that it was more than just Newton's late fumble that lost the game for the Panthers.
