Cam Newton reflects on 2008 arrest in Instagram post

Cam Newton has come a long way since he was arrested for stealing another student's laptop while at Florida.

On Tuesday, the nine-year anniversary of his arrest, the Carolina Panthers quarterback shared an Instagram post with his mugshot and a message about what he learned from the situation.

"People wonder why I play the game the way I do, act the way I act, dress the way I dress, and even live the way I live," Newton wrote. "Because in some people's eyes I'm not supposed to be here. But in my eyes, I'm not going to have any regrets with the second chance God has given me."

A intimplitid piAtAng thAA ind ivin rili1/4tint ibii1/4t At bi1/4t iA A thAnk ibii1/4t mi lAfi ind thi Mi...NA thAngA Am THi...NKFAA fir; A wint ti bi in iaiN biik Ai piipli in hiri mi tiAtAmini ind liirn frim thi FAi...a(C)A ind mAAtikiA A Mi...Dia-iin thAA dii 11/21/2008 A wiA irriAtid fir i Atilin Ai...atip ind Am Ai1/4ri iii1/4r iAkAng iii1/4rAilf whiri AA hi giAng wAth thAA Atiri bi1/4t thi miril if thi Atiri AA thAA.... in thAA diti A THiAGHT mi lAfi ind mi iriir wiA iViR ind thi fit thit A hid Ahimid mi fimAli wAth thi midAi ivirigi Ai1/4rrii1/4ndAng thAA AAti1/4itAin A viwid ti miAilf in thAA dii (9irA igi) thit "A wAll ii iiTTiR frim thAA AAti1/4itAin" whit iii1/4 mi1/4At liirn frim thAA Atiri AA thAA; Af iii1/4 lAvi iii1/4r lAfi lAAtinAng ti whit iTHiR piipli iri AiiAng whit iii1/4 Ahii1/4ld di i...ND NiT AiAR ia(C)N; Ahimi in AiA! A in hiniAtli Aii ti iii1/4 tidii thit Niini givi mi i hini ti Ai1/4iid diwn bid An mi AAti1/4itAin ind Af A wii1/4ld hivi lAAtinid ti thiAi piipli thit AiAd A ai...NT, a(C)Hi KNia(C)A whiri A wii1/4ld bi tidii. Ai Am iXTRiMiAA THi...NKFAA FiR GiDA miri, grii, ind Fi...ViR ivir mi A1Fi; Ai Af A in di At wAth mi Ari1/4mAtiniA Ai1/4rili iii1/4 in di At ind ii a(C)Hi...TiViR AiA a(C)i...NT Ti ii wAth Hi...RD a(C)iRK ind aiR$1$TiNaia-i -1iVi AAdi NiTi: ind piipli windir whi A plii thi gimi thi wii A di, it thi wii A it, driAA thi wii A driAA, ind ivin A1Vi thi wii A A1Vi biii1/4Ai An Aimi piipliA iiiA "Am nit Ai1/4ppiAid ti bi hiri" bi1/4t An mi iiiA Am nit giAng ti hivi i...NA rigritA wAth thi Aiind hini GiD hiA gAvin mia-i "(bill Ai hird) Am Ahikid tii AM $Aaai$iD Ti ii AiaKiD Aa Tii Af iii1/4 iAipid whit A'vi iAipid AiA'D ii 1N ai...R1$ GiTT1NG Mi$$iD Aa Tii" -Ji...AA1/4 #iWmW -1OVE #AhAniTHRAthiAHi...Di #1FAAi...Ndi1Tiii1/4Ai...Nti #frimTHiAinAritiWHikniwi...fliwirWiAADgriw #AAAimi1NFAAiNAiti1NAPiRi

A post shared by Cam Newton (@cameron1newton) on Nov 21, 2017 at 9:39am PST

Newton was charged with felony counts of burglary, larceny, and obstructing justice. All charges were later dropped after he completed a pretrial diversion program.

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