Ex-NFL ref: Newton gripes parallels Vick hit complaints

Nov 10, 2016, 5:14 AM Updated: 5:18 am

For Mike Pereira, the complains about Cam Newton taking shots more often than other NFL quarterbacks takes him back to his refereeing days, when the name was Michael Vick instead.

Pereira, a former ref and NFL vice president-turned-Fox Sports analyst, told 104.3 The Fan’s “C.J. and Stokley” this week that “the whole Cam Newton thing” causes him déjà vu back to a time when Vick was still a star in the league.

“Everybody complained that Michael Vick got hit more and wasn’t getting the call,” Pereira said. “But what do Michael Vick and Cam Newton have in common? They both like to run, and neither of them really like to slide, so they did take a lot of hits.”

Most recently, Newton was seen taking blows to the head from Los Angeles Rams defenders, just a few days after he met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell following remarks that he felt no longer safe on the field.

A recent comparison with other star NFL quarterbacks did reveal that Newton is contacted more and receives far less roughing the passer penalties.

So, was QCB wrong the other day when he claimed that Cam gets the most RTP calls? @TheCallUpCLT pic.twitter.com/mjiStPFgPw

— YBBG_Blog (@YBBG_Blog) November 2, 2016

Pereira said, upon reviewing the tape, he found the two hits to the head could reasonably be called fouls, but he cautioned that the game’s referee Terry McAulay did not have the luxury of replay or slow motion.

“Cam’s head hardly moved. And we’re looking at this in slow motion and McAulay’s got to make this in real time. It’s tough,” Pereira said.

To that point also, Pereira said that Newton’s physical stature comes into play for referees, that bigger quarterbacks are more difficult to officiate.

“It’s tougher to officiate the big guys that we know like to take off running and maybe absorb the hits a little bit better than other guys do,” Pereira said.

Controversy followed the Carolina Panthers after Week 1 Newton was battered about by the Denver Broncos, in which he received blows to the head.

Linebackers Brandon Marshall and Darian Stewart were fined after the game for hits on Newton.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.