On social media, a debate arose around Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson as the internet tried to decide which quarterback was better in their prime. The debate sparked from Newton, the former Carolina Panthers star, saying he thinks Jackson is the greatest dual-threat quarterback to play the game.
Some people claim Newton’s 2015 MVP season was more impressive, while others choose Jackson’s 2019 MVP campaign.
Either way, both quarterbacks showcased abilities that few other signal-callers have in their respective MVP seasons. These stars are two of the quintessential dual-threat quarterbacks in the modern NFL, with neither side having all that much of an edge over the other.
Cam Newton (6’5″, 245 pounds)
2015 season stats: 16 games, 296/495 (59.8% completion), 3,837 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 132 rushes, 636 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns
Lamar Jackson (6’2″, 215 pounds)
2019 season stats: 15 games, 265/401 (66.1% completion), 3,127 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 176 rushes, 1,206 rushing yards, 7 rushing touchdowns
When examining the two stat lines, Jackson’s numbers are better than Cam Newton’s in each category, but stats aren’t the only thing involved in debating who is better.
In fact, a former teammate of Newton from his rookie season until 2019 has a reason to side with the Panthers quarterback in this debate.
Former Carolina Panthers star sides with teammate in Cam Newton vs. Lamar Jackson debate
Luke Kuechly, a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro linebacker, 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year, and member of the Hall of Fame All-2010s Team, joined Up & Adams to discuss his thoughts on the Newton vs. Jackson debate.
As a teammate of Newton for eight seasons, Kuechly has a unique perspective on this debate.
Playing against Cam Newton would be so difficult because of how physical he was. He’s big, he’s physical. Lamar is a pain to tackle. He’s a pain to get your hands on. He’s a pain to keep in the pocket, but you can get on him. You can get him on the ground. With Cam, he’s running through you.
Luke Kuechly on the Cam Newton vs. Lamar Jackson debate
Kuechly is one of the best linebackers in modern NFL history, making his opinion more credible than, say, an NFL analyst who never played in the league.
In the mind of Kuechly, Newton gets his vote because of how hard he was to tackle, even if you knew what was coming. For context, Newton was larger than Kuechly when the two played each other, making Newton a menace to take down.
While Lamar Jackson’s stats were better than Cam Newton’s, Kuechly is rocking with his guy.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
