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Panthers GM won't second-guess playing injured Newton last year

Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman isn't second-guessing the team's decision to allow quarterback Cam Newton to continue to play last season despite a partially torn rotator cuff in his right throwing shoulder.

Gettleman said Friday: ''Cam is a football player and he wanted to play and the medical people felt it was fine, so we did.''

Newton played the final three games of the 2016 season even though Carolina's playoff hopes were essentially over because of its losing record.

The Panthers hoped rest and rehabilitation would solve the problem, but announced earlier this week Newton will need shoulder surgery on March 30. Newton will miss all of OTAs and minicamp, but Gettleman expects the six-year NFL veteran back in time for training camp.

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