Coming off an MVP season and a trip to the Super Bowl after winning the NFC Championship Game in 2015, Cam Newton and Carolina were poised to do big things last season. Unfortunately for the former Auburn quarterback, that’s not how it played out.

Newton had arguably his worst professional season in 2016, going from an interception to touchdown ratio of 35:10 to 19:14 and registering by far his lowest rushing total in any NFL season — by nearly 200 yards. The season wasn’t shot just for Newton, his team went from a 15-1 regular season record and a Super Bowl appearance to a 6-10 campaign that saw the Panthers miss the playoffs altogether.

If the team has any chance to rebound from the poor season, the focus for Carolina this offseason will center on getting Newton back to his stellar form. Panthers head coach Ron Riveria even admits that Newton’s confidence has been shaken. According to his coach, surrounding Newton with better players is likely the key to turning things around.

“I think for him, more than anything else, it’s about the guys that are on the field out there with him,” Riveria said during the NFL’s Annual Meeting in Phoenix. “He’s going to have to rebuild his confidence — it was shook, let’s be honest. I’m not going to lie about that.

“The young man went through a tough time, and we went through a tough time because of the injuries that occurred on the offensive line. That was probably the biggest thing and it goes to show the importance, the significance, of being able to protect your quarterback.”

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