For an 11-year veteran of the Carolina Panthers who just signed a three-year contract extension on Tuesday, wide receiver Steve Smith sure feels like he can learn a lot from his young quarterback, Cam Newton.

“I’m always feeling like a kid, obviously by the shirt it shows that.” Smith told NFL Network while wearing a Panther blue t-shirt featuring the character Gizmo from the Gremlins.

“The one thing that I think helped me was don’t think about what I could teach him, Cam. I would see what I could learn from Cam,” Smith said. “A young guy with a fresh pair of eyes, a new perspective, being at the college level coming into an organization he knows nothing about. The things he sees and observes is totally different from me because I am a little skewed because of how long I’ve been here.

As a veteran, who has been a part of the Panthers organization for more than a decade, Smith said Newton provided new energy and a fresh perspective that opened his eyes.

“I mean with Cam coming along and what he has done as a first overall pick, as a quarterback, as a young guy is contagious.” Smith said. “No matter how old you are or how young you are. Whether you’re a little kid or a big kid, it’s contagious and everybody wants to be involved in it.

“I learned a lot from him and continue to learn a lot from him as well.”

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