CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton made a statement in Sunday's 31-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings with a 62-yard run that set up the winning touchdown.

He also made a statement in his postgame news conference, introducing to his always interesting wardrobe a purple brimless hat with a feather and the word "Love" on the left side.

The hat was inspired by Atlanta rap artist Andre 3000, otherwise known as Andre Benjamin. Newton, a native of Atlanta, saw Benjamin wearing a brimless hat in the October issue of GQ magazine.

So he called his regular hat designer, Alberto Hernandez from the Nick Fouquet Hat Maker shop in Venice, California, and put in a special order.

"In the GQ magazine he was just talking about where he is in life," said Newton, who helped the Panthers improve to 9-4. "But he had like a brimless hat. I was like, 'Man, I want that.' "

Newton began wearing a signature hat prior to the 2016 season.

"I look in NBA, NFL, baseball ... ain't nobody seen a brimless hat," Newton said. "I wanted to put the one behind the scenes with the brimless hat. So you seen it here first. Cam Newton. Brimless hat."