The word authentic can be taken in many different ways depending on the context. Cam Newton plays the game of football with passion and tenacity that has never been seen at the quarterback position, but is his character really authentic? When you think of the word “authentic” I’m sure that many things come to your mind. Whether that be that something or someone is genuine and pure or that it is of true legitimacy. Some might say that it is tough to argue one way or the other whether or not Cam Newton is authentic. He has been leaving press conferences after losses and has also been having a poor attitude when they lose or when things don’t go his way. 
Yes, Cam loves the game and plays his heart out. He is literally a superhero to thousands of kids all over the United States as he flies over and through defensive lines week after week. However, as the MVP of the 2015 season and quarterback of his team, wouldn’t one think that for him to be truly authentic he must represent himself, his family and his team well in every situation?
Cam Newton has been under quite a bit of scrutiny as he walked out of his press conference after the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos in February. He also most recently walked out of a press conference after a loss against the Atlanta Falcons in week six of this year as well. Many argue that he lets his emotions get to him too much and that he needs to gain more understanding of the business aspect of the sport that he must be involved in. However, for Cam to be considered truly authentic, would he really be able to push aside his emotions?
There is a difference between being fake in a press conference and being authentic. There is a strong line between what it takes to be authentic and what it means for someone to be faking it. Cam surely does not fake it as you can see his true emotion in his press conferences.
There are so many aspects of Cam Newton’s play on the field that show his love and passion for the game. Watching Cam score a touchdown (whether you hate him or love him) is one of the most spectacular things to watch in the world of sports today. To top it off he even runs the ball over to the first kid he sees in the stands. He has turned the quarterback position into something completely different than it has ever been – something of pure authenticity that is his own work of art.
The league has never seen anything like him, so it must be difficult to live up to all of the hype when you are just 27 years-old. To make something your own it takes originality and creativity, as well as uniqeness and God-given talent. Cam Newton surely has all four of those characteristics to make his case for being authentic.
The way Cam handles his press conferences only shows how authentic he really is. He allows his emotions to get the best of him – when they win he has the biggest, brightest smile on the field and when they lose he pouts the most out of anyone on the field – and that speaks to his authentic character. Cam has always had a huge heart for the kids of this country as well. He knows that he has a great platform to be a role model and example to kids all over the United States. Two things are for sure, and they are 1)that he uses his platform to make a difference in young kids lives’ and 2) that he certainly puts his full effort out there on the field. These also speak to his authenticity as he takes hit after hit every week and continues to punish defenders. While doing all of this he is able to continue to change the lives’ of our nation’s youth as well.
– Joshua J
IMC Hawks Blog 
Cam Newton definitely has authentic qualities that are evident in the examples you supplied. The fine line between his authenticity and how egocentric he seems is where I start to get confused. I can’t tell if his actions are genuine or if he has grasped the concept that being different gets you noticed in the modern age. The more outrageous acts seem to receive more attention than the ones that follow the “rules”.
Watching Cam Newton play football, to me, is like watching a kid in a candy store. It’s something he clearly loves, and if he suppressed himself he most certainly would not be authentic. His play comes across as cocky because he’s definitely got a competitive edge. I feel like because he knows that he’s a talented player, he’s more upset than most when he can’t shoulder the load and pull out a victory. He’s hard on himself, and doesn’t want to relive losses during post-game press conferences. All of this is what makes him Cam Newton, and his lack of self censorship is what makes him so authentic.