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Cam Newton curious why former Seahawks not standing up for Russell Wilson

Carolina's former league MVP doesn't see ex Seahawks stepping up to defend Russ.
Sep 8, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) talks with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) after the game. The Seahawks defeated the Panthers 12-7 at Bank of America Stadium.
Sep 8, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) talks with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) after the game. The Seahawks defeated the Panthers 12-7 at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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The Carolina Panthers have since fallen off the face of the planet, but for a while there they enjoyed the biggest non-division rivalry in the NFL with the peak Legion of Boom era Seattle Seahawks. At the time Carolina was led by Cam Newton, who won the MVP award in 2015.

As much as Seattle's defense might have hated Newton, odds are they hated their own quarterback much more - especially Richard Sherman, who went on a rant last Thursday about Wilson playing himself out of the Hall of Fame and not deserving the credit he got for Seattle's big run.

Newton took time to talk about it on his most recent podcast, asking why no former Seahawks teammates are stepping up to defend Wilson from Sherman's onslaught.

Sherman's beef with Wilson has always been over the top, and the fact that he's held onto it this long is not a good look.

That said, there's a reason why nobody else who played with Wilson in those years is speaking up -and why Michael Bennett is about the only Seahawks great who will say anything nice about Russ personally.

No matter what Wilson may have been like behind closed doors, he was a briliant quarterback for several years with the Seahawks. As the LOB was falling off beginning in the 2016 season, Wilson was growing into his game - and eventually he was the only reason Seattle was remotely competitive as Pete Carroll's defenses devolved year after year.

It's time for Sherman to hang up this particular sword and be honest about Wilson's legacy, which is being the greatest quarterback in Seahawks history - and a deserving Hall of Fame candidate.

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Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.