Carolina Panthers star Cam Newton has sparked jokes with his outfit choice before Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The quarterback appeared at the Bank of America Stadium wearing a headscarf and shades – a look which Twitter users were quick to point out was made famous by Susan Sarandon’s character in ‘Thelma and Louise’.
Newton kept the $415 Hermes headscarf, paired with a fancy, dark suit, for the post-game press conference.
And those who saw Newton’s fashion statement were relentless.
One Twitter user joked: ‘Cam Newton going with the Thelma and Louise ending to the Panthers season.’
If you’re not familiar with the movie, the female bank robbers get away from police by driving into a canyon and likely killing themselves.
Not everyone on social media went for the Thelma and Louise reference.
Others posted images comparing Newton to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, Stephen Spielberg’s alien ET, and Zoolander character Mugatu, platyed by Will Ferrell.
And another posted a picture of their dog wearing a similar scarf, and accused Newton of stealing her look.
NFL reporter Phil Jones tweeted, ‘Cam Newton out here wearing the scarf your grandmother be rocking.’
‘What is Cam Newton wearing? Dude looks a mix between an old lady wearing a scarf from the 1920s and Prince,’ said Bryan Davidson, who hosts a fantasy football podcast.
Meanwhile Ed Brunson took in the whole ensemble, including the shades and dark suit, saying: ‘What in the name of Under the Cherry Moon does Cam have on??? He looks like he’s trapped in three Prince concerts. SMH’
One user got a chuckle from the post-game press conference, saying: ‘Cam Newton said,”It’s time for me to look myself in the mirror” wearing this.’
Still another tweeter commented: ‘Cam Newton dressed like he’s trying to win “best potato salad at the after church brunch” not an NFL football game.’
Jerry Peppenger had an angrier take: ‘Cam Newton has lost his mind. The scarf is greatly unbecoming, just plain ugly.’
Not calming the social media barrage, Newton guided his Panthers to a 24-10 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He threw for Newton was 24-for-50 with 324 yards, but failed to connect on a touchdown pass. He also did not gain a yard and was sacked three times on the nationally televised game.
Some analysts have suggested it was one of his worst performances of his NFL career.
And the result gave even more fuel to the ridicule of his outfit.
‘I bet if Cam Newton spent more time throwing footballs instead of picking out what scarf to put on, Panthers might win more,’ Jack Biller tweeted.
‘Ok, Cam Newton is embarrassed about losing two games, yet he’s totally fine with wearing his granny’s wind scarf????’ Maria Begger chimed in.
‘I’m pretty sure my grandmother has the same scarf, I’m pretty sure she would have played better tonight too.’
Newton’s previous fashion blunders
Newton is no stranger to making a statement with his wardrobe choices – and facing heat from social media because of it.
One Twitter found striking similarities between the quarterback’s choices and villains from Batman.
