Cecil Newton Sr. was dressed, from cap to shoes, in what is officially known as Carolina Panther blue.

His access pass indicated he was a "guest of Cam Newton" — his son and the Panthers’ starting quarterback.

More than a year ago, Cecil Newton Sr. was a controversial figure during Cam Newton’s run toward the 2011 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s best college football player and Auburn’s national championship. But during Friday’s Pro Bowl photo shoot, Newton Sr. was the picture of paternal pride.

"This is all about the Pro Bowl," Newton Sr. said. "We’re not here to dispel anything. We’re not here to rehash anything. That’s over and done with."

On Dec. 1, 2010, the NCAA announced that Auburn had declared Cam Newton to be ineligible after finding evidence that his father sought money from Mississippi State during the recruiting process. Three days later, Newton was reinstated after the NCAA ruled neither Newton nor Auburn officials had knowledge of Newton Sr.’s actions.

The situation did not hurt Newton’s draft status — he was selected No. 1 overall by the Panthers in the 2011 draft — nor his career. He made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

Of the controversy, Newton Sr. said, "We’ve addressed it. They’ve addressed it. They brought closure to it. We’ve moved beyond it. God is good. Life is good. We’re here to enjoy the relevance of so many great athletes and great families to be around."

Newton Sr. is both a church pastor and a former football player. He said he taught his son to remain "grounded and focused."

Newton Sr.’s law: "Don’t accept too much of the accolades when you’re up, and keep yourself up when things don’t go your way."

Newton Sr. said when his son was young, he was encouraged to "enjoy being a kid. It wasn’t a lights-out, every-day grind. It was allowed for what a 7-, 8-, 9-year-old kid would be. They want to skate with the rest of the kids. They want to go here. They want to go there."

But Newton Sr. said his son also was "an exception to a degree" in creating his own workout schedule and seeking advice from "people who would try to make him better."

The biggest obstacle, Newton Sr. said, was the food budget. Newton Sr.’s elder son, Cecil Newton Jr., is a center with the Baltimore Ravens.

"We had to put a lock on the refrigerator at 10:30 at night," Newton Sr. said. "We couldn’t keep stuff around the house. A gallon of milk, two cartons of cereal were gone in two days. … Man, that was a big task to keep them full."

Newton Sr. said Cam Newton’s success was not a surprise. He grew up competing against older players.

"That helped generate some mental toughness and physical toughness," Newton Sr. said. "It helped pan itself out as time passed."

As for his son’s early success in the NFL, he said, "I know who he is. I know his mental fabric. I know what he can do physically. I think the best is yet to come. Fortunately, he had a great rookie season. We want to keep climbing and building off of that."