NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cam Newton loves him some Cam Newton.
Anyone in attendance on Sunday at Nissan Stadium could tell just by watching the Panthers quarterback, and his prolonged celebrations during Carolina's 27-10 win over the Titans.
Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey didn't love seeing Newton's extended dance celebrations on Sunday, however. He said it after the game on Sunday, and reiterated his feelings on Monday when asked about the topic at his afternoon press conference.
Newton scored the game's final touchdown, and then began dancing in the Titans' end zone. Newton brought a lot of attention to himself during the course of the game when celebrating big plays.
Titans linebacker Avery Williamson had some words when he approached Newton in the end zone at one point, causing Newton to turn things up a notch. Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard followed Williamson into the fray.
"I know Avery was frustrated by it, but I think there was a whole lot of people frustrated by it," Mularkey said Monday. "It's a little rubbing-it-in-your-face type of deal, which there's a little code of ethics in the NFL. (It's) not a good move.
"But I'm proud of (Williamson). I'm proud of what he did. He stood up for our team."
Several Titans said they didn't like Newton's actions, but made it clear they know the best way to keep him from dancing is by keeping him out of the end zone. Newton's Superman celebration sparked a brawl in the Panthers-Saints game last season.
"When you are one of the faces of the NFL, you can get away with a little but more than some others,'' Titans cornerback Coty Sensabaugh said. "But it is our job to stop him. If we would have stopped him more, he probably wouldn't have had as much fun today. It is our job to stop them and we didn't do that."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Carolina Panthers Week 10 at Nissan Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
"That's part of the game, but Cam takes it to another level, that's just who he is. The one thing I can say is at least he's shown it week in and week out,'' said Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo, who had one of the team's five sacks on Sunday. "So I really can't get too mad because he's consistent with it.
"He's having fun and we have to try and keep him out of there. He finally got in at the end and it wasn't to our liking."
Newton completed 21-of-26 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. He completed his first 11 passes to start the contest. Newton was especially animated in his celebration. He ran around the field and eventually handed the football to a Panthers fan at one point. But not until he drew the ire of a number of Titans.
Newton had no regrets after the game.
"I heard somebody say we aren't going to allow you to do that, but if you don't want me to do it, then don't let me in. I just like doing it,'' Newton said. "It's not to be boastful. I'm not doing it to be disrespectful to be nobody, more so just doing it just to shine light and get people a smile and having fun doing what I do."
