With NFL legend Philip Rivers coming out of retirement after nearly five years to suit up for the Indianapolis Colts, many have questioned why the Colts went after 44-year-old Rivers when there are tons of younger quarterbacks out there that would love the opportunity, including someone like Cam Newton. The Carolina Panthers legend made it clear to NFL teams this week that, even though he’s working in the media, he is still very open to returning to the NFL if a team needs a veteran quarterback.

“It’s always like a slap in my face,” Newton said. “I did not (retire), and will not, because of opportunities like this. I don’t give a damn if he was in their family. He’s 44 years old, bro,” Newton exclaimed after Rivers’ connection with Shane Steichen and the Colts was mentioned.

“How do people hold Cam Newton to a standard that you’re not holding everyone else to?”

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Newton, an 11-year veteran and 2015 NFL MVP winner, hasn’t played a snap in the NFL since the 2021 season, when he made a brief return to Carolina. In his final season, Newton appeared in eight games, throwing for 684 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while adding 230 yards and five scores on the ground.

Earlier this week, Newton was asked about why he thinks he’s no longer playing quarterback in the NFL. Despite the fact that he has a 12-16 TD-to-interception ratio in his last three seasons, Newton thinks the reason he’s not in the NFL is that his personality is too big.

“My personality is too big. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Do I think I can still play? Yeah.”

Newton has a desire to return to the NFL in the future, but he’s made one thing clear to any team that wants to sign him…

Cam Newton Makes Return Conditions Clear

If Newton were to return to the NFL, he would want to be a starter or at least have the chance to compete for the starting job. He’s been offered and declined multiple backup roles since he last stepped on the field in 2021. If he doesn’t at least have a realistic shot at becoming the starter, he doesn’t want it.

“No,” Newton said when asked if he’d still play if he wasn’t a starter. “I could still play if I got beat out. Like Mac Jones for me. I knew Mac Jones was good, but I didn’t think he was better than me. I think he had more grace than me because of the circumstance; I didn’t have the whole offseason, I didn’t know the system, I was still learning the playbook. It was extremely difficult, but I felt like my physical being and my knowledge of the game were going to get me over the hump… The lion in me, the competitor in me, the warrior in me couldn’t (return to the NFL) without a fight.”

Newton was referring to his time in New England, where, after starting all of 2020 for the Patriots, New England decided to go with rookie quarterback Mac Jones in 2021. Newton got the boot in August, just weeks before the season started, and he took that to heart. He didn’t think Jones was better than him, but after missing some practice time due to COVID-related issues, he felt he got the short end of the stick. He believes he’s better than some of the starters and wants a chance to prove that.

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Newton’s stance is clear: he wants to return to the NFL, but he wants to find an opportunity like Rivers, where he can step in and be the starter day one. If not, he wants to find somewhere he can at least compete for the starting job before the season begins.

After four years away from the NFL, you’d like to think that an opportunity like that will never come for Newton, but after what we saw with Rivers this week, you can never say never.