CHICAGO – In the off-season, after the Super Bowl loss, Cam Newton – loving son, new father, star quarterback of the Carolina Panthers and lightning rod for critics – finally takes off his cape. In the EBONY exclusive, Trust and Believe by Charles F. Coleman, Jr, he openly addresses his regrets and rewards, and what all the controversy was really about.  In his first in-depth interview since the Super Bowl, Newton answers the questions that America wants to know – Does he regret making those pre-game comments? How does he feel about the loss? And what are his true feelings on the controversial post-game interview? 

The story also explores the media coverage of Newton and ponders the racial lens through which he is often peered going back to his early career, including threatening accusations in college. Those challenges at the start of his public life led some to doubt Newton’s ability to have a successful NFL career at all. He speaks to EBONY about those hurdles now as defining moments. “It made me think, ‘Let me get my shit together, dawg.’ That same story gives me the discipline [to make better decisions] when I’m out now,” says Newton.

Despite critics, the genuine source of Cam’s strength and resolve becomes evident after Coleman’s intimate time with the family. He reports that unlike what is often seen in both fictionalized and real depictions of Black sports stars, the Newtons are not the stereotypical clan who made it out of the ghetto thanks to the athletic prowess of their son. Rather they are a working class family from Atlanta’s College Park suburb, deeply rooted in the church. “When I see family,” Newton says, “I see the supporting cast that has helped propel me.”

Editor-in-Chief, Kierna Mayo’s takeaway from time with The Newtons, was the power of his mother’s influence on her son’s life.  In the story “Jackie ‘My-Love’ Advice from Cam’s mom on keeping kids close”, Mayo spoke with the NFL mom about the art of staying connected to your children over time.

In celebration of Black mothers, the April/May issue features: “Mama’s Boy", an interview with CNN Anchor Don Lemon where he opens up about the expansive love and sacrifice of his mother, Katherine Clark, and how it shaped his world; “Mother Nature”, insights from one woman’s holistic pregnancy journey, along with natural and organic editors’ picks beauty buys; “Sex, Dating & the Single Mom” by Entertainment Director, S. Tia Brown which urges mothers to get their mingle on and offers how-to tips; and Senior Editor Jamilah Lemieux’s column Honey Child,  “Always Be My Baby”, where she explores the complex and evolving relationship between mothers and daughters through her experiences.

The EBONY Spring Double issue also boasts an essential Spring film and TV guide, a special men’s sneaker roundup and “World Passport”, the new international style section.