KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 23: Greg McElroy #12 and Nick Saban the Head Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide are pictured during a timeout in the SEC game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Former Alabama QB McElroy: Cam Newton quit on his team

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Greg McElroy has become a bit of a media personality since he announced his retirement from football. He has become a fixture on the SEC Network, and he does several radio spots across several networks.

Well, for SiriuxXM Sports, McElroy had a bit of a hot take about Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. The full monologue is in the Soundcloud link above, but below are a few snippets from what McElroy said:

I have big issues with the way Cam handled himself. Not only on the field, but in the post game as well. If you are going to act like Superman and call yourself Superman, well, you better be able to answer the tough questions. He wasn't able to do so, I don't have as much of a problem with the postgame press conference as a lot of people do.

...

What I have issues with is the way he did not jump on the fumble after he dropped the ball. And I know he was getting beat up all game, but he jumped away from the ball when the ball was on the ground, and I have never — not one time in my life — seen a player do that, especially a quarterback. And you know what, his teammates will look at him a little different after that, especially his teammates on the defensive side of the football.

...

I will never get over that. So, I will still root for my Panthers, but I am going to have big issues with Cam Newton moving forward and it has nothing to do with the fact that I went to Alabama and he went to Auburn. It has everything to do with the fact that I think he quit on his team.

That is quite the quote to digest, and it comes as a bit off-putting from a guy who didn't have near the success that Cam Newton has had in the NFL. But what is especially off-putting is the part where McElroy claims the Panthers as "his team" early in the interview, and then proceeds to tear down their starting quarterback based off of one play in one game.

McElroy has shown in the past that he is clearly a smart person, and he generally does a great job at stating his opinions. However, if he is that upset at the fumble — which he exaggerates a bit in how he happened — then he needs to take a step back assess the situation with a little more focus on Newton's entire body of work and not just a single play.

I mean, he's going to root for the Panthers still, but he will "never get over it"? Really?

[h/t 247Sports]

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