Black footballer says criticism of him was not racist

Because two of his harshest critics were black?

Because Cam Newton has set the NFL on fire this season, it seems silly to think back to when scouts and experts wouldn't go near the Panthers rookie quarterback's bandwagon.

Some of Newton's critics were so harsh that his mentor, Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, believed their reviews were racially charged. But Newton wouldn't play up the race card in an interview for next month's issue of ESPN The Magazine, instead pointing to people's bias because of past failed high-pick QBs -- although there is a catch to what he says.

"I can't sit up here and look at it like, 'Oh man, my critics are racist,' " Newton said. "I blame JaMarcus Russell and to some degree Vince Young.

Now, about the catch, Newton specifically blames two black quarterbacks for his being disrespected, so maybe the criticism was racial but no so much racist (there is a difference)?

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