Having grown up in the suburbs of Atlanta, there weren’t very many local role models worth looking up to for a young Cam Newton. Thankfully, there proved to be at least one.
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An Atlanta native himself, Adam “Pacman” Jones led by example throughout his time at Westlake High School. With his excellence on display in the weight room, Newton detailed that Jones’s legacy gave him something to chase throughout the early days of his football career.
In a past episode of the 4th & 1 with Cam Newton podcast, the Carolina Panthers legend had nothing but praise for the 12-year veteran.
“I idolized Pacman. Pacman went to Westlake, I wanted to sh*t on Pacman’s records and his aura but he still is the OG. He gave me something to stride for, he empowered me to think bigger. Specifically, he was the person I saw that came from the same area that I came from, that I saw on TV. Pacman went to West Virginia and was balling out. Well Pacman got drafted top 10 and that was the floor for me.”
Jones, 41, was the sixth overall NFL draft pick in 2005 and went on to play for four NFL teams, including the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals. Over 146 career games, he recorded 17 interceptions and 97 pass defenses.
Given that Pacman once interrupted one of Newton’s interviews to jokingly peck him on the cheek, it’s clear that the two players have developed a great relationship throughout the years. With both men being considered to be some of the finest athletes to ever come from the Hollywood of the South, it’s only right that they continue to uplift one another.
“When I first went to Westlake High School, I made an oath to myself that I will be better than Pacman… When you turn in the book ‘Him’ verse one, chapter one, in Atlanta… Pacman was the highest rated, outside of probably Eric Berry, to get drafted the highest from the city.”
There’s no short selling of Newton’s admiration for the player who’s brand of football perfectly encapsulated the gritty mindset of the city of Atlanta.
Cam Newton reacts to Adam Jones’ claims of cheating drug tests
Unfortunately for Newton, his idol may not have been 100% authentic throughout his NFL career. During an appearance on Deion Sanders’ We Got Time Today, Jones confessed that,
“I’ve never used my piss for a piss test. Not one time. Not one time.”
While Newton was quick to clarify that he wasn’t calling Jones a liar, he did suggest that it is impossibly difficult to cheat an NFL drug test. Ultimately, the 2015 regular season MVP chose to speak on his own experiences, rather than attempting to verify the integrity of Jones’ statement.
“Who am I to tell him he’s lying? I just know my experience with drug tests and getting watched by the man… It’s hard to do.”
Sanders expressed a similar response to Jones’s claims at the time, asserting,g “That can’t happen today.” While the jury may forever be out in regards to Jones’ alleged cheating scandal, it is likely to have little impact on his legacy.
Known for his brutal hits and willingness to lay himself out for the sake of punishing someone else, Pacman will continue to be remembered as a living symbol of a long-lost era of football. The game may no longer be the same, but that is in part thanks to his cold and calculated contributions.
