The bond between Cam Newton and Bo Jackson is strengthened by a pair of Heisman trophies and statues outside Auburn’s football stadium. So it’s not much of a surprise Jackson delivered a fiery defense on Friday for his fellow Tigers legend.“Those are haters,” Jackson said about critics who have seemingly followed Newton from his national championship season at Auburn through his first four years in the NFL. “Those people that are poking holes in his game come put on a uniform and try to do what he do.”Newton was surrounded by some of his staunchest and most famous supporters during his foundation’s charity weekend. Many of his Panthers teammates mingled with celebrities and former NFL stars like Jackson, Randy Moss, Eddie George and Warren Moon.

The former Oilers quarterback was one of Newton’s ‘mentors’ in the months leading up to the 2011 draft, so like Jackson, Moon is hardly objective. But when you’re in the Hall of Fame as one of the most productive passers in history, your opinions carry plenty of weight.Moon has said more than once that he believes much of the criticism aimed at Newton is “racially based.” He refrained from making those claims on Friday when he spent a few minutes with local reporters, but the current Seahawks color commentator did share a number of interesting thoughts about Newton and the Panthers.On Newton’s $103.8 million extension:

“When any guy gets an extension like that, you’re proud of that. The game generates that much money now, the quarterback position generates that type of salary and there’s no question he deserves it because of what he’s done in such a short period of time here in the NFL. He’s been to a couple of Pro Bowls. He’s been to the playoffs a few times. He set records as a rookie. So he definitely deserves the contract that he got. I know people are always going to kind of poke holes in things when they see certain numbers of money that players generate, but that’s just what this game generates now. And these players deserve it because the short time span, you never know how long you’re going to play this game, and it’s a very popular game right now that generates a lot of revenue. So the players should share in that.”

How some players change after getting a big contract:

“It can do that. It can do it a couple of different ways, and hopefully for Cam it’s going to be something that he goes out there and proves that he’s worth everything that they gave him. If you know his mindset about wanting to be great and wanting to be one of the best, I don’t think the money will change him in any way. I think if anything, it’ll motivate him more to go out there and do better.”

What Newton has to do better as a quarterback:

“Just everything, just his overall game, just the mastery of the offense. There’s a lot of things that he can improve on, but there’s a lot of things that having the right people will help him improve on as well. So I think the fact that they’re able to run the ball better takes a little bit of pressure off of him, so he doesn’t have to run as much, so he doesn’t have to take as many hits and take the punishment that he’s taking. And then he’ll just be able to just relax and play quarterback as opposed to having to worry about being the runner as well.”[gap size=”.213em”]

How criticism will continue until Newton wins more and bigger games:

“He’s won enough, but yeah, until you win the big one. But that’s with every quarterback. You’re judged by that nowadays, and it’s unfair sometimes because it’s not always you. You’re a big part of it, but you’re not all of it. I’ve never seen him have to make a tackle, or I’ve ever had to see him return a kick or any of those things that other players are supposed to do. So as long as he does his job to the highest and to the best that he possibly can, he’ll always give himself a chance.”

On Newton’s maturation and the degree he recently earned at Auburn:

“I think that’s something that he can be very proud of, but also it’s something that other people can look at and say, ‘This is a guy who makes a lot of money, but he still wanted to go back to school and get his degree.’ So I think that was a great accomplishment for him, the promise he made to his mom. Then you look at the contract he was just able to sign. His foundation’s doing well this weekend. So I think there’s a lot of good things going on in Cam Newton’s life. He’s coming off of a pretty good football season as well, and I think they’re only going to get better this year, and this young football team starts to improve.”

On the next logical step for the Panthers:

“They have the great defense, and when you have the great defense with a great quarterback, you just put those pieces around him. I think they’re starting to really put those pieces around him, and now you’re going to see his game really flourish offensively, to go along with that defense. They’re going to be a formidable opponent; there’s no question about it. They were that last year, and I think they’ll only get better this year.”