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Cam Newton “cleans the air”.
The free agent quarterback explained his ‘side of the story’ after his surprise release from the Patriots in a YouTube video on Friday – and suggested that if he stayed in New England as a replacement, rookie QB Mac Jones would have felt “uncomfortable”.
Jones, who the Patriots selected 15th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, was named the team’s starting quarterback following Newton’s release.
“Let me be honest with you… if they’d asked me, if they’d said, ‘Cam, we’re going to give the team to Mac, you’re going to be channel two. We expect you to be all and a few to help guide him through this tenure ‘- I would have said,’ Absolutely ‘, “Newton said in the latest edition of his YouTube series” Funky Friday “.
The episode featured his father, Cecil Newton Sr., who didn’t seem satisfied with his son’s willingness to take a backup job for a rookie.
“The truth is, this … [Mac] would have been uncomfortable, ”said Newton, to whom his father asked,“[About] are you looking over his shoulder?
Newton replied, “Yeah, he would have,” explaining that “”[The Patriots] knew because you must also understand that [I’m an intimidating presence], and it comes from the simple fact that I am me.
“The reason they released me is that indirectly I was going to be a distraction without being the starter. Just my aura. It’s my gift and my curse. When you bring a Cam Newton into your facility, your franchise , people are interested.
Elsewhere in the video, Newton admitted he was surprised at his release when he met head coach Bill Belichick and Patriots senior football adviser Matt Patricia – describing the meeting as “uncomfortable for all. the world”.
However, when he reflected on the events leading up to his release, Newton began to connect the dots.
“I look back, I was probably getting two reps out of his 10 reps, and that’s why it was starting to make sense. Even if I was starting (preseason games) it doesn’t necessarily mean nothing, and that’s where they did a good job of dressing it up, ”Newton said.
In a teaser ahead of the video’s release, Newton confirmed he won’t be retiring.
“This is not a retirement speech. I still have a lot of football in me. I have a lot of football left, ”he said.
The 32-year-old was released from the Patriots last Tuesday after the team re-signed him this offseason on a one-year, $ 5.1 million contract.
Since becoming a free agent, NFL teams haven’t shown much interest in the 2015 NFL MVP. Steelers star JuJu Smith Schuster on Thursday ended speculation that Pittsburgh would take on Newton as Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement.
Newton’s future in the NFL may depend on whether or not he accepts a backup job – as there are currently no starting QB positions open in the league.
However, between growing injuries and COVID-19 restrictions in NFL safety protocols, the lists have already started to mix in week 1.
Newton, who is presumed unvaccinated, violated NFL health and safety protocols before the Patriots’ release and was forced to be separated from the team for five days. He missed a joint practice with the Giants, which could have helped Jones secure the starting spot.
“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 this help make the decision easier? Yes, ”Newton said of his COVID-related absence.
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