CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton expressed surprise on Wednesday that his left ankle that was surgically repaired in March still isn't 100 percent.
"I'm still in that mode of trying to realize I'm still trying to recover from major ankle surgery that was displayed to me originally as a little cleanup," Newton said. "But I'm glad that it happened. My ankle is getting back and is feeling stronger than ever and hopefully I will be able to display my running talents here soon.
"If that means my running makes a big impact on the game, who knows."
The status of Newton's ankle has been under the microscope the past two weeks as he's run only four times for 14 yards in lopsided losses to Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
The two-time Pro Bowler has run only 8 times for 33 yards in three games, accounting for about one percent of the rush offense. He accounted for 33.1 percent of the rush offense during his first three seasons in which he ran for more yards than any other NFL quarterback.
Newton's 28 rushing touchdowns since 2011 were the most in the NFL coming into this season outside of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Seattle's Marshawn Lynch.
Coach Ron Rivera admitted the play calling has been different than a year ago because of Newton's medical issues. He added that the fractured ribs Newton suffered during an August 22 exhibition loss at New England was a setback in the ankle rehabilitation process.
"The ribs set him back a lot," Rivera said. "Part of the whole rehab plan was always to have him on the field once we got to training camp. You can't make up for the type of turning and twisting he'll do as a quarterback. You can't simulate it in the training room.
"Having him on the field is what we really needed. So him hurting those ribs and missing those 10 days slowed it down. Those are 10 days he could have used to help with that."
The original diagnosis was Newton would be out about four months before he could practice, which would have him ready by the start of training camp. He actually got back on the field for a few drills at the end of a June mini-camp, which put him about a month ahead of schedule.
Newton spent part of the next month before training camp working with his new group of receivers on his own. He was brought along slowly during the preseason, spending most practices handing off and throwing from the pocket.
Then came the rib injury that kept him out of the opener at Tampa Bay.
Still, Newton expressed surprise that he's still feeling pain in the ankle on which the tendons were tightened.
"We kind of teased about it a couple weeks ago, how the doctor kind of downplayed how the surgery was going to go," said Newton, who admitted after the surgery the ankle had been an issue since his senior season at Auburn. "I just thought this was a surgery just to clean up the ligaments and what not.
"But after reading a lot of reports from you guys [media], hearing about so much of ligament repair and this major ankle surgery that may hold Cam Newton off for a couple months, that's when I started scratching my head like, 'Man, this may be bigger than I thought.'
"And something I thought may have a cast on for a couple weeks end up to be a couple months."
Carolina trainer Ryan Vermillion responded to reporters concerning Newton's remarks via email. He said at no time was Newton's surgery categorized as simple.
"From the beginning his timeline for return to practice was four to six months," Vermillion wrote. " ... Like many orthopedic surgical procedures you continue to improve as you participate in your sport.
"That is exactly what Cam is doing, improving weekly. He has had some setbacks from other injuries, but his ankle continues to improve and get better."
Newton said he stood behind the decision of Vermillion and the organization to have the surgery.
"Hindsight is 20-20," Newton said as he prepared for Sunday's game against Chicago. "I'm not going to be up here thinking about if this would have happened or that would have happened. Whatever decision that was made I'm behind it 110 percent."