Sunday’s Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers made plenty of headlines — the majority of which involved Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

The biggest topic of discussion was probably the fact that Newton, the new, young face of the NFL, was facing Peyton Manning, the aging, iconic veteran in the milestone game. Another scenario that played out was the fact that Newton was facing star outside linebacker Von Miller, both of whom were the top picks, respectively, in the 2011 NFL draft. Newton was also recently crowned MVP of the league the night before.

Ironically, all of these news angles were trumped when Newton walked out of his post-game media conference after about two minutes and 30 seconds.

This is a huge topic of debate not only for the thousands of media members and fans of the league but also for many current and former NFL players who have voiced their opinion on Newton’s behavior.

Various theories exist as to why Newton left his post-game conference. One reason was that ESPN published an article speculating that Denver Bronco cornerback Chris Harris caused Newton to walk out on the media.

In the end, none of these arguments matter. When it comes right down to it, I don’t blame Newton for what he did, but his actions weren’t justified.

Newton had just lost the biggest game of his career minutes before this press conference. This was the 50th anniversary of the NFL Super Bowl, and the Panthers were coming into the game with only one loss — a near perfect season (17-1).

Each team played its best, but in the end, the Panthers were outplayed in every facet of the game. The outcome was a Broncos’ 24-10 win and a heartbreaking end to Carolina’s season.

From Newton’s perspective, that has to be devastating. He had dreamed of playing in the Super Bowl and there is no guarantee he will have a shot at redemption at such a national arena. That had to hurt, and talking to the media after the loss about the loss probably doesn’t benefit players either, but that’s a story for another day.

Newton is the face of the Panthers’ franchise. As a quarterback, you’re held to a higher standard than the rest of the players. When you win, you are praised, but you also have to learn to handle yourself when you lose.

While some quarterbacks in the past haven’t handled their situation with class, others have. 

Last year, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception at the one-yard line with 24 seconds left in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks lost because of that play, and Wilson sat in his post-game conference and answered questions from the media. Some may argue that this scenario is far worse than the Panthers’ situation.

Ironically, Peyton Manning had a similar situation in Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints. Manning left the field right after the game without shaking hands with Drew Brees, Sean Payton or anyone else for that matter.

It’s a tough situation. Being on the losing team is never fun and it’s exponentially harder when it’s a high-stakes game like the Super Bowl. Either way, Newton — and 2010 Peyton Manning — were wrong in their actions.

In reality, Newton set himself up to fail after the Super Bowl. If the Panthers had won, there wouldn’t be a problem. 

But him dancing and having fun throughout the year ultimately led to his drastic downfall. His actions weren’t a problem because his team was winning and he was backing up his actions with great performances. Newton handled himself well as a player and leader this year, but when the Panthers finally lost, he sulked and got upset.

Newton is beginning to be recognized as the face of the NFL and he invited the spotlight the entire year. But if you’re going to dance when you win, you have to remain humble in defeat, regardless of the game.

A quarterback has a responsibility to talk to the media and maintain his composure. I’m not saying he can’t be upset or disappointed about the outcome, but storming out of his press conference was wrong, and Newton’s actions weren’t justified.