CHARLOTTE – The Panthers have placed quarterback Cam Newton (foot) on injured reserve.

"For the past seven weeks, Cam has diligently followed a program of rest and rehab and still is experiencing pain in his foot," general manager Marty Hurney said. "He saw two foot specialists last week who agreed that he should continue that path prescribed by the team's medical staff, and that it likely will take significant time for the injury to fully heal.

"We have said all along that it is impossible to put a timetable on this injury. Nobody is more frustrated with that fact than Cam. He's one of the fiercest competitors I've been around during my 20-plus years in the League. At this time, we have decided that the best decision to reach the goal of bringing the foot back to 100 percent is to place Cam on injured reserve."

Prior to 2018, Newton missed just three starts in seven years. The former NFL MVP missed the final two games of the 2018 season due to a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery. Then he suffered a left midfoot sprain in the third week of the preseason.