The NFL has fined Cam Newton $21,000 for bumping referee Jerome Boger in Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders.

Midway through the forth quarter Newton lost his cool following a hit he perceived to be late by Raiders' safety Mike Mitchell. After failing to get a flag, he yelled at the official, ultimately bumping Boger, and drew a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The on-field microphone caught Newton asking to speak to the referee after the game where he apologized for his actions. In his post-game press conference, Cam Newton publicly acknowledged the incident.

"The words that I said during the game were very disrespectful and I apologized to him during the game, but I'm going public and apologizing again. It was something in the heat of the moment."

It was an emotional game for the second-year quarterback, who was hit numerous times behind a makeshift Panthers' offensive line. Earlier in the game following a Tommy Kelly sack, Newton kicked the defensive tackle off him -- a play that ultimately saw the Kelly flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Cam Newton's maturation in the NFL continues, and the young quarterback understands that he needs to get a better handle on his emotions, saying: "I have to learn to control what I can control."

Carolina's final game of 2012 takes place on Sunday, where Cam Newton and the Panthers face the New Orleans Saints.