On how Cam Newton's offseason is going: "I talk to Cam often. I was with him this weekend at my charity basketball game in Baltimore. He's in a great place spiritually, in a great place mentally and in a great place physically. No one works harder than Cam Newton."

On the Panthers falling short of back-to-back winning seasons: "That's just the way the NFL goes. One of the hardest things to do in this league is be consistent. I think we have the right leaders, the right players and the right coaches to get it done. People forget we started off 6-2, and then everything just kind of went downhill. The talent is there; we just have to be better, figure out how to close out games and keep Cam healthy."