Cam Newton: The Patriots would have freed me whether I ran out of time or not

Cam Newton has vowed to share his thoughts on his release from the Patriots with a “Funky Friday” video and he kept his word on Friday morning.

Newton sat down with his father for a YouTube conversation about his final days with the team, including the training days he missed after failing to follow COVID-19 protocols on days off in August. Newton said he believed he would have been released whether he was with the team for all of their training or not.

“Do I think this would have happened without me being away for five days?” Honestly, yes, ”Newton said. “It was going to happen. Did this help make the decision easier? Yes.”

This led to the question of why he was released when the team made their final cuts on August 31. Newton said he got fewer first-team reps than Mac Jones in practice, which indicated the team’s eventual decision. Newton said he would have done “absolutely” right to support the rookie and told the Patriots it did, but was confused when he realized he was released in a meeting with Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia.

Newton went on to say that he believed he was released because it would have been uncomfortable for Jones to start his career with Newton over his shoulder.

“The reason they released me was because, indirectly, I was going to be a distraction without being the starter,” Newton said. “Just my aura. . . . It is my gift and my curse. When you bring a Cam Newton into your facility, when you bring a Cam Newton into your franchise, people are interested.

Newton said he believed the Patriots would be the winners with either quarterback, but sticking with him and starting well would have made it harder to go to Jones at some point this year. The Patriots chose to go straight to Jones and Sunday’s game against the Dolphins will provide the first chance to see how the rookie fares in the role Newton wanted to fill this season.