Turner defends Newton's post-Super Bowl mood as 'team-wide thing'

It's been over five months since Cam Newton walked off the podium following his team's loss at Super Bowl 50 and his teammates still have his back.

Carolina Panthers' offensive guard Trai Turner was asked about his quarterback's infamous exit on Thursday and said that it wasn't just Newton who may have been to blame.

"I think it was, not only him, but it was a team-wide thing," Turner told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "You have to think, for 16, 15 weeks, we were accustomed to things going a certain way. So when things aren’t going that way and you’re making attempts to change it, and it’s not going your way, it’s frustrating, it’s aggravating. And football is a humbling game, especially when, for a whole week, you’re on top of the world and then in a matter of hours, it’s kind of like you’re kicked off a cliff."

The Panthers took a 15-1 record into the playoffs and rolled through their first two playoff games with ease before facing the frustrating defense of the Denver Broncos.

Turner says the week of festivities leading up to the Super Bowl and the bulk of media at the event didn't help with Newton and his emotions either.

"So it’s a bit tough to go from king of the world to now everyone’s pointing, giving you the blame and asking you questions and it’s tough to deal with," said Turner. "So I understand the frustrations. He’s the face of our team, so anything that he does, he’s under the microscope."