Newton endorses Carr for MVP

Cam Newton almost certainly won't repeat as NFL MVP but he has endorsed another member of the quarterback fraternity for the league's most prestigious individual award.

Newton said he'd vote for Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who's led his team to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

"For him, and his importance to his team," Newton said via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. "When we played Oakland, it was a different team. When he came back in ... the energy was just as impactful as anybody coming back in the game, and what he meant to his team was everything. That's why I'd vote for him."

Carr suffered a season-ending leg injury on Dec. 24, but was in the midst of a banner year, throwing for 3,937 yards, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions with a 63.8 percent completion rate.

The last Raiders player to win MVP was Rich Gannon in 2002.