The Carolina Panthers hosted the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Some Packers fans attended the game in Charlotte and some even brought a banner to show their support.
Cam Newton snatched a Packers banner and now the fans want it back
Newton’s teammates claim they told him to remove the banner.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Here's the banner Cam Newton ripped down before the game pic.twitter.com/j4P8dEqz5c
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) November 9, 2015 Cam Newton was not a fan of that banner, so he grabbed it and removed it.
Cam ripped this packers sign from the fans and took it pic.twitter.com/yTHl5ZQfti
— Connor Case (@connorcase15) November 8, 2015 After the game, Newton said grabbing the banner was about respect to the Panthers in their home stadium.
“We take pride in having an edge in playing in Bank of America Stadium, of playing in front of the Carolinas each and every week,” Newton said via ESPN. “I feel it’s my due diligence to protect this house. It wasn’t just about tearing down a sign. It was respect.”
On Monday, several of Newton’s teammates jumped in to share the blame.
Keeping it it may have been my fault @CameronNewton took that dudes sign I came in the locker room telling everyone how mad I was about it
— Roman Harper (@Harp41) November 9, 2015 It's my fault, I'm the one that told @CameronNewton to take down the Packers banner. I told him #JustDoit
— Ryan Kalil (@ryankalil) November 9, 2015 Never knew peer pressure had such a big influence on @CameronNewton sorry for telling you to take the sign down! #PantherCountry
— Mike Tolbert (@miketolbert35) November 9, 2015 While it may be a bit unnecessary for Newton to police the banners hung around the stadium, it's hardly the first time this has happened at a NFL game. Jason Taylor once ripped down a Cowboys fan's sign while Terrell Owens did the same to a sign in Cleveland.
The difference this time? Mike Dobs, the fan who owned the Packers banner, was upset to have it ripped down and taken. Via FayObserver.com:
Dobs wants the banner back so badly -- he said he paid $500 to have it made last year to hang in his home’s “man room” -- that he told the police at the stadium that it was stolen, and he complained to the Panthers’ management.
It’s Dobs’ understanding that the banner was destroyed. A Panthers employee said the organization would make it up to him, he said.
Assuming the fan merely wants the banner back, he may be in luck.
I went to see if Cam tossed banner in trash. Nope. Security guard told me he folded it up, put under arm & walked into locker room with it.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) November 8, 2015 As for the Panthers’ official policy on signs, here is the section on signs supporting visiting teams:
No banners or flags expressing support of visiting teams may be affixed to or displayed on any surface. Hand held signs or posters that are in compliance with the balance of this policy are acceptable.
The NFL may need to call up Ted Wells to launch an investigation into whether the sign was affixed or not. For their part, the Panthers said they are in the process or providing a replacement banner for the fans.
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