Cam Newton has put together an MVP-caliber season that is the primary reason his Carolina Panthers are in the Super Bowl, and as he's beginning to emerge as one of the NFL's best players, it appears as though he's turned to another game's great for some very important advice.
In advance of the win over the Seahawks, Newton spoke with Michael Jordan to try to figure out how he got over the hump in beating a rival, and Jordan shared how he was able to do so in finally leading his Bulls past the Detroit Pistons in the playoffs after losing to them for three straight years.
“Cam and Mike have formed this relationship which is really special,” Marshall Faulk said on the NFL Network, via The Washington Post. “Mike told Troy Aikman that Cam has been asking Michael about success, and how to get to the next level. Cam also asked Jordan ‘tell me your mind-set when you have to deal with beating the bully.”
“Mike told Cam about the transformation in himself before the Bulls were able to get over Detroit,” Faulk said. "That information that Mike gave him, I think he delivered it to the rest of the team."
The Panthers lost to the Seahawks in the playoffs a season ago, and the way it went down evidently left Cam feeling bullied in the process. Whatever advice Jordan had for him obviously worked, as the Panthers jumped out to a 31-point first half lead against Seattle this year before moving on to win the NFC title by beating the Cardinals on Sunday.
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