In what was perhaps the finest season for first-year players in NFL history, Cam Newton stood head and shoulders above his peers. As such, it is to him that the distinction of Rookie of the Year belongs.
Newton was named by the NFL as one of the five finalists for the 2012 Pepsi Rookie of the Year award, joining Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals, Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, Von Miller of the Denver Broncos and Aldon Smith of the San Francisco 49ers. Fan voting runs through January 31.
And while each of Newton's competitors can make a compelling case to be recognized as the cream of the 2011 NFL Draft crop, the award clearly belongs in Newton's possession.
Statistically speaking, the numbers Newton put up in his first year as a pro were nothing short of historic. He shattered Peyton Manning's rookie passing record by 312 yards and became the first rookie to rush and pass for 10 touchdowns in the same season.
Overall, he became only the second player in NFL history to throw for at least 20 touchdowns and run for at least another 14 scores and was the first player ever to amass 4,000 yards passing, 500 yards rushing and 10 rushing touchdowns in the same season.
From a strategic standpoint, Newton almost single-handedly changed the way football is played in the NFL. With his particular blend of size, speed, athleticism and swagger, Newton was essentially able to do at the pro level almost exactly what he'd done at Auburn—that is, chuck the ball downfield and make defenses look silly with his feet. He established himself not as a running quarterback, per se, but rather as a quarterback who just so happens to have dangerous feet and knows how to use them.
In essence, he was everything everyone had hoped Michael Vick would turn out to be, but better. All of this for a team that jumped from 2-14 in 2010 to 6-10 in 2011, despite sporting one of the worst defenses in the league and an offense that essentially revolved around Newton's ability to get the ball to Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith.
Of course, Newton wasn't perfect. He finished the season with 17 interceptions to go along with 21 touchdowns, and is the only player nominated whose team finished with a losing record.
And, let's not forget, the other nominees did plenty to warrant consideration for themselves.
Patrick Peterson tied the single-season NFL record for punt return touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner. Dalton led the Cincinnati Bengals to a five-win improvement and a Wild Card spot in the AFC playoffs.
Von Miller racked up 11.5 sacks and turned the Denver Broncos' pass rush into one of the most feared in the NFL, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl along the way. Aldon Smith did much the same for the San Francisco 49ers, picking up 14 sacks (fifth-most in the NFL) while helping the Niners improve by seven wins and capture the NFC West.
But, as terrific as each of those four were as rookies, none had to deal with the sort of pressure placed on Newton from Day 1. He was simultaneously heralded as the savior of a wayward franchise and questioned as a big athlete without the skills to play quarterback in the NFL. He was lauded for winning the Heisman Trophy and derided for being the next in a long line of failures to have struck the pose.
Through it all, Newton not only met expectations, not only silenced his doubters, but far exceeded the bar that was set and quickly turned those who thought little of his NFL potential into staunch believers and supporters.
Ultimately, what we witnessed with and from Cam was nothing short of historic. He recast the game of football as we know it and broke the mold for playing quarterback in the NFL.
And if all of that isn't enough to make Cam Newton the Rookie of the Year, then the NFL might as well discontinue the award right now.
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