CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Less than 48 hours after losing Super Bowl 50, Cam Newton spoke to the media in Charlotte on Tuesday and addressed criticism surrounding his play during the game and his actions after the game.
Newton was widely criticized for walking out of his postgame press conference after the Panthers lost to the Broncos 24-10. On Tuesday, Newton addressed the criticism.
More from Newton:
Newton reiterated he has no regrets about how he handled his postgame press conference.
"If I offended somebody, that's cool...but I know who I am. And I'm not about to conform nor bend for anyone else's expectations. Because yours or anyone else's expectations will never exceed mine."
Newton continued:
"If you want me to be this type of person, I'm not that. And I'm happy to say that. This league is a great league with or without me. And I am my own person, and I take pride in that." Newton added, "...before you are quick to assume anything, what makes your way right?"
Newton addressed people who criticized his "lack of effort" to recover a fumble late in the fourth quarter.
"I don't dive on one fumble because the way my leg was -- it could have been (contorted) in a way. Okay, you say my effort. I didn't dive down. I fumbled. That's fine. But we didn't lose that game because of that fumble. I can tell you that," Newton said.
Newton also addressed the Panthers incredible regular season.
"An unbelievable season. We did what a lot of people didn't think we could do," Newton said. He added, "We will be back, and I mean that. Nobody's expectations (for this team) exceed mine."
Ron Rivera defended Newton, saying that he is a competitor who wants to win and the criticism has been "unfair."
"You don't know the young man. Losing is not an easy thing," Rivera said.
Greg Olsen, who also spoke to the media on Tuesday, described the narrative that Newton "didn't care" enough to dive on the fumble as "comical."
"If anyone wants to question Newton putting his body on the line, they obviously haven't watched... and that narrative is comical," Olsen said.
Rivera also said he's excited about the future of the Panthers and hopes the team can learn from the Broncos.
"I believe in this football team. I believe in who we have," Rivera said. "(The Broncos) lost the Super Bowl two years ago and came back and won it."