FS1 expert says Cam Newton has been more influential in the NFL than Pat Mahomes

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FS1 analyst brings a different name to a discussion surrounding Mahomes’ and Stephen Curry’s impacts on their sports.

Last Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James talked about how Stephen Curry changed the game of basketball. He said that the Golden State Warriors’ guard was “the only one who could change the ‘no lead is safe'” and then compared Curry to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

In the latest edition of the Speak show, the crew debated James’ statement and who had impacted their sport the most: Curry or Mahomes. All of them quickly came to an agreement – it was Curry, by far.

Analyst Ric Bucher, however, pointed out a diferent player that perhaps might have contributed more to changing the game than the reigning Super Bowl champion.

“When it comes to the NFL and football, I would make the case that Cam Newton is a closer example of someone who has changed and influenced the game”, he said.

Joy Taylor, the show host, quickly stopped him: “So you think that Cam Newton has been more influential in the NFL than Patrick Mahomes?”. Bucher replied, firmly: “That is what I’m saying.”

Aerial and running habilities

Newton entered the NFL in the 2011/12 season and took the league by storm with his versatility. That was Bucher’s main reasoning behind his argument:

“He was the first dual-threat quarterback to win MVP and to go to a Super Bowl. He was the first one that you looked at and said ‘you know what? Our quarterback doesn’t just have to stay in the pocket to be a threat. We can put the ball in his hands.'”

Former Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy disagreed: “These dudes we’re talking about [Curry and Mahomes] are elite, elite, elite. Cam had one good year being elite quarterback, being the best.”

“You can’t influence a game or a culture or a sport if you’re not looked at as the elite of elite.”

Cam Newton is not at Patrick Mahomes’ skill level, but it’s undeniable that he left a legacy as it pertains to mobile quarterbacks.

Playstyle changes

Bucher also mentioned how Curry and Newton have set a different standard to their positions in basketball and football.

“When I first started covering the league, if you were built like Steph Curry, you had to spend a year or two in the weight room to put on 20-25 pounds just to be able to get your shot off. That doesn’t happen anymore.”

“I look at what Cam (Newton) did and how he made it acceptable that we’re going to run our quarterback, we’re going to have plays that run our quarterback and we can win playing that way.”

“I would say that Cam ran so that Lamar Jackson could run more.”