From the ringer, I'm Tyler Aratoms.

When I spoke to NFL star Cam Newton in January,

his mindset was clear.

I'm my whole career to being in a Charlotte.

Cam won't be getting that wish.

He was released by the Carolina Panthers in March.

Cam is a complex figure, and my interest in him

goes far beyond his exuberant smile and transcendence style

of play.

Cam broke the glass seal in American athletics,

ascending to a place in the sport that few black quarterbacks

have ever reached, making his fall that much more dramatic.

Over the past year, I've traveled the country speaking

to coaches and teammates, friends and family, reporters,

and even briefly to demand himself,

trying to unravel the enigma that is Cam Newton.

I'm covered contradictions at every turn.

How can the hardest work on the team

be depicted as a bad leader?

And how can a franchise icon, with the NFL MVP

and Super Bowl appearance on his resume,

be so abruptly cast aside?

...