No pressure, Cam Newton, but that guy whose ass you stick your hands under just wrote a check you probably can’t cash.

Kalil’s message to Panthers fans in this morning’s Charlotte Observer promised their unwavering support would be rewarded with the Lombardi Trophy. It’s a bold move. Is bold the right word?

Kalil did not tell anyone with the team about the ad, because he didn’t want to be talked out of doing it.

“Every team says it every year, whether it’s publicly or not,” Kalil said. “They say they’re going to win the Super Bowl.

“We’ve said it in the past in meeting rooms and behind closed doors. This year’s different. There’s a sense of urgency, a winning attitude that I haven’t seen before. And it’s in the way we prepare. It’s in the way we approach each work day, and I think fans will see it in the way that we play.”

The Panthers were all of 6-10 last year. Kalil, a three-time Pro-Bowler, must know something the rest of the football world doesn’t.

Of course, if he does lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory, he’ll be the new Joe Namath.

High risk, high reward.