CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton won’t forget to invite center Ryan Kalil on his next birthday bash.
Not after Kalil made a parody of Newton’s recent birthday music video – actually shot a year ago during a vacation in Central America and not on the 2015 NFL MVP’s May 11 birthday on which he turned 28 – from a weekend camping and fishing trip in the mountains of North Carolina.
Kalil posted his video on Monday morning and showed it to Newton and the rest of the team before a voluntary workout. He set up the post by saying, “Cam forgot to invite us to his birthday getaway so we didn’t invite him to our camping trip."
“He’s the leader of the team, so trying to follow in his footsteps," Kalil said with a laugh.
Newton’s video was shot by a production company and featured him lip-syncing the 2 Chainz “Birthday Song." Kalil used the same song, featuring tight end Greg Olsen and others.
But while Newton’s music video was big budget, Kalil put his together on his iPhone on the ride home from the excursion.
“I told him he spends all that money on videographers," Kalil said. “I said, ‘You should have invited me on your trip, man. You’re getting robbed. I could have saved you some cash.’
“He laughed at it."
Kalil’s video includes Olsen rapping and slapping at the “booty" of left guard Andrew Norwell.
“Kalil was the mastermind," Olsen said. “I was just the hired talent."
Said Kalil: “If you know Greg, he was perfect for that role. It couldn’t have worked out any better."
Kalil set up the video beautifully, posting side-by-side shots from Newton’s trip and his.
Instead of the palatial home that is the centerpiece of Newton’s video, Kalil showed a wide shot of the mountain home in which the offensive linemen, tight ends and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly stayed.
Beside Newton’s video with him smoking a cigar and wearing one of his one-of-a-kind hats is Kuechly with a cigar and a black cowboy hat.
Kalil’s video was so good that Coach Ron Rivera credited it for the high energy during Monday’s practice.
Newton’s level, even though he still can’t throw after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, was among the highest. He spent much of the workout shouting and yelling when teammates made big plays.
“He loved it," Rivera said of Newton and Kalil’s video. “He’s trying to hire Ryan away as a videographer, so we’ll see."