Newton frustrated by shoulder issues: 'I've tried and done everything'

A frustrated Cam Newton revealed Monday that he doesn't know the specific injury behind his persistent shoulder soreness over the last several weeks.

"I've tried and done everything," the former MVP quarterback told reporters after his Carolina Panthers fell 12-9 to the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.

Newton struggled mightily against the Saints, finishing 16 of 29 for 131 yards and an interception. He's been battling a shoulder injury since at least Week 8 when he first appeared on the injury report.

"Just shoulder soreness, I wish I could say what the injury is because I really don't know what it is either," he said. "It doesn't matter how much you push, no matter how much you ice, anti-inflammatory you take - trust me, I did it. Acupuncture, massages, it's not been a time where a night went by without me getting some type of work done on my arm."

The 29-year-old also admitted that he doesn't have a full range of motion in his throwing shoulder, as evidenced throughout the Saints game. Newton lacked zip on several throws despite appearing to put maximum effort into his passes.

"It hasn't got worse over the weeks, it hasn't got better over the weeks," he added.

The Panthers now sit at 6-8 and are all but mathematically eliminated from the NFC playoff race.

Despite that, head coach Ron Rivera said he won't look to rest Newton and his ailing shoulder for the final two games of the season.

"What we're gonna do is we'll see how the week goes, like normal," he told reporters.

Newton has thrown nine interceptions over his last six games, each of which has ended in a defeat.

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