Seahawks don't want to watch Cam Newton dance, but vehemently defend his right to do it

SEATTLE – If you believe what you see on ESPN, most of the world hates nothing more than to see Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton dance after he scores one of his many touchdowns.

The Seattle Seahawks, however, say they have no problem with it.

“Everybody’s different,” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said on Thursday. “It’s football - you enjoy the game, you love the game. His dancing his stuff is just showing gratitude. He’s happy out there. You know, for me, I’m just grateful I get to play too.  Everybody shows it differently.”

The Panthers have made some people angry this season with their propensity to pose for team pictures on the sideline toward the end of wins, and with Newton and Co.’s affinity for “dabbing” in the end zone.

The Seahawks will play the Panthers on Sunday in an NFC divisional playoff. The game begins at 10:05 a.m., but coverage will start at 6 a.m. on Q13 FOX.

If Newton does any dabbing during that game, it’ll be at least partially at the expense of Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett. But Bennett says he has no problem with that.

“I don’t think anybody likes anybody that wins and tries to rub it in a little bit,” Bennett said. “But I mean, if you want somebody not to do something, you just gotta stop them. If you hold a team to zero points then you don’t seen any dancing.

“If they’re winning and you can’t stop ‘em .. . they should do that. I mean, they should rub it in – it’ll make you want play harder. More people are worried about them dancing then stopping them. When you stop a team, they can’t do what you don’t want them to do.”

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman knows a little something about being criticized for on-the-field passion. He vehemently defended Newton’s right to dab.

“You’ve worked hard, you’re a professional athlete – if you don’t get to celebrate in the pros, when do you get to celebrate?” Sherman said on Wednesday. “When do you get to show what you can do, to enjoy yourself?

“I mean, this is a game. I think some people who’ve never played it, who’ve never expressed passion, who sit behind desks all day and do all that … I mean, maybe you celebrate sometimes when you do something great and nobody judges you, cause nobody’s watching. But as you’re watching him, enjoy it. He’s enjoying it. He can enjoy his craft. If he wants to celebrate, that’s fine. ”

Bennett put it a little more succinctly.

“If you don’t want a guy to dance in the end zone, it’s real simple: Don’t let 'em get to the end zone,” he said.