Cam Newton Suffers Lower Back Fractures in Charlotte Car Crash

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton suffered two lower back fractures after he was involved in a two-car crash in Charlotte, N.C. on Tuesday. Doctors say he is in fair condition.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was involved in a two-car crash in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 9.

The Panthers issued a press release on Newton’s accident on their official website on Tuesday:

“Cam Newton suffered transverse process fractures in his lower back after being involved in a two-car accident near Bank of America Stadium. He suffered no other internal injuries. 

“Newton is in fair condition at Carolinas Medical Center and will remain there overnight for observation.

“The quarterback’s injury is similar to what Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suffered earlier this season. Romo missed one game as a result of the injury.

“According to SportsInjuryClinic.net, a transverse process is a bony protrusion from the back of a vertebrae bone in the spine. There is one on each side of every vertebrae in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine.”

According to a Dec. 9 update from The Charlotte Observer, Newton was rushed to Carolinas Medical Center at approximately 12:50 p.m. “after a truck crashed and overturned on the Church Street bridge over Interstate 277.” 

A medical team rushed to Newton’s aid on the sidewalk. The Panthers quarterback was still in his black workout clothes while he was treated for 20 minutes. When he was rushed to a nearby hospital, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police spokesman Rob Tufano said Newton had “non-life threatening injuries,” per The Charlotte Observer. The other person involved in the collision was taken to a hospital 10 minutes earlier.

Cam Newton suffered two transverse process fractures in crash, will be in hospital overnight. http://t.co/fXOX0Xtr9T pic.twitter.com/j9RQ0lBuUf— Cindy Boren (@CindyBoren) December 9, 2014

Witness Tony Douglas told The Charlotte Observer he saw the Newton’s Dodge truck flip several times after hitting the Buick sedan. Douglas ran over and saw Newton, whom he said was “alert” and “in pain,” inside the vehicle. The Buick’s driver said he was trying to cross Church Street when Newton’s Dodge truck “came flying down.” Both vehicles suffered significant damage on their front-right side. 

ESPN’s Ed Werder confirms Newton was conscious on his way to the hospital. On the other hand, USA TODAY Sports‘ Erik Brady and Jeff Gluck asked Panthers spokesman Charlie Dayton if Newton would require surgery. Dayton said he received no indication from the doctors if this would be the case. 

Brady and Gluck say several members of the Panthers organization went to the hospital to visit their fallen quarterback but did not get a chance to talk with him while he was undergoing further testing. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was one of Newton’s visitors. 

Newton’s back injury is among several he’s suffered this year. He underwent left-ankle surgery in March. He then sustained a hairline rib fracture during a game against the New England Patriots during the preseason, causing him to miss Carolina’s season opener, per USA TODAY Sports. 

Should Newton not be able to play in Week 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, backup Derek Anderson is expected to fill in for him.

The 25-year-old Newton has thrown for 14,111 yards, 80 touchdowns and 53 interceptions in 60 career regular-season games for the Carolina Panthers, per ESPN stats.

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