What did he just say?
Playing point-counterpoint with former Pats QB Newton
Cam Newton was good on his word. He did get a lot off his chest.
During a YouTube Live video hosted by his father Cecil on Friday morning, Newton pretty much covered the bases, speaking for the first time since the Patriots released him almost two weeks ago.
He answered questions about his departure from New England, gave his thoughts about Mac Jones, and discussed why he was ultimately sent packing.
To no surprise, there was plenty to sort through. Below are some of Newton’s most notable remarks from the session, and my take on each. Time to play a little point-counterpoint with Cam.
So here are six of Newton’s top arguments, and my rebuttal.
Newton: “Mac Jones didn’t beat me out.”
Rebuttal: What field were you looking at?
While Newton was certainly better than last season, Jones performed better in many key areas. He was more accurate, more decisive, better at deciphering what he was seeing from the defense, and just in general had a better feel for the offense.
This wasn’t a blowout. Newton’s experience, and having the attention and respect of the players in the huddle, made it a difficult choice. So did the mobility he brought to the table. But, make no mistake, Jones did beat out Cam.
Newton: “Can we be honest? The reason why they released me is because indirectly, I was going to be a distraction without being the starter. Just my aura. That’s my gift and my curse.”
Rebuttal: Being honest, this was definitely a factor. Once the Patriots decided to go with Jones, they needed to put him in the best possible environment to succeed. Having Newton over his shoulder would have been tough, especially given his “aura” and personality. Totally agree.
Newton is a larger-thanlife presence. He warrants attention. The players enjoy what he brings to the table. Having him as the backup wouldn’t have served Jones the best, even if Newton was willing.
Newton: “This had nothing to do with no vaccination.”
Rebuttal: Seriously? Coach Bill Belichick may have offered the same take, but let’s be real. He’s not going to say not being vaccinated was the cause, because it gets him in hot water with the NFLPA. See Jaguars coach Urban Meyer for details.
But here’s the bottom line — one of Belichick’s 10 player commandments is availability. It’s also reliability. As the starting quarterback, playing the most important position, how is it not a factor if Belichick couldn’t count on Newton from one week to the next? The protocols for unvaccinated players is very strict. Newton could be gone five days, even 10 days, at the drop of a hat. So I’m not buying it. His vaccination status played a role.
Newton: “Do I think this would have happened without me being away from the team for five days? Honestly, yes. It was going to happen. Did it help ease the decision? Yes.”
Rebuttal: He’s spot-on with this. It was going to happen. The move to Jones was in the works, as far back as the first preseason game with the Washington Football Team. Having the kid go no-huddle in the third quarter against WFT, having him operate with an empty backfield, being responsible for the protections, and then having him succeed that night set the gears for a switch in motion.
In fact, after the shocking news came out that Newton had been released, a source told me the move had been “in the works” for quite some time. So Newton had the right read on the situation. The decision wasn’t made on Aug. 31, when they let him go. Newton picked up on that vibe because Jones was constantly getting more reps than him at practice.
Newton: “What can Mac teach me? What can he teach me when it’s coming at him faster than it was coming at me?”
Rebuttal: For some context, former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich made the claim that Jones was teaching Newton the playbook based on what he’d heard from his sources in the locker room. Given Newton is a veteran, and former NFL MVP, that kind of information is both insulting and damning at the same time.
So it’s certainly understandable Newton would want to shoot that down, especially since he still considers himself a starting quarterback. But that’s a different argument.
Breaking down that quote, the premise of Newton’s remark isn’t necessarily offtarget, but at the same time, he later acknowledged there was a collaborative environment within the quarterback room, so that suggests he was at least listening to what Jones had to say.
Jones, in fact, also relayed a similar message about the quarterbacks’ cooperative approach during his Wednesday presser with the media. They help each other. And with Newton also admitting learning the Patriots offense was initially a big adjustment, it’s not outrageous to assume Jones offered a few pointers on how he’s been able to pick it up so quickly. Ditto Brian Hoyer, who also lends a hand given he knows the playbook better than just about everyone save for Josh McDaniels.
Newton has a huge ego, so it’s no surprise he’d push back on someone suggesting he was being “taught” by a rookie. But the fact he pointed to a collaborative room, in a back-and-forth scenario lends some credence to Ninkovich’s claim. The problem is more that Ninkovich’s claim makes it sound like Jones was Newton’s personal tutor. Not the case.
Newton: “I said it once, and I’ll say it again: there’s not 32 guys out there that’s better than me.”
Rebuttal: Guess he didn’t watch the season opener with Tom Brady and Dak Prescott duking it out Thursday night. Guess he hasn’t watched Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, or Aaron Rodgers. I’ll even throw in Matthew Stafford. Maybe in 2015, when he was Superman, there weren’t many better than him. But those days are well past. Just look around the league.