Following a disappointing 2020 NFL season, Cam Newton has re-signed with the New England Patriots aiming for a comeback year in 2021. But with first-rounder Mac Jones making an impression in the preseason, it remains to be seen who the starting quarterback will be.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has stated not long ago that Newton would start in Week 1 unless somebody else won the spot. Well, Jones could be on his way to beat the former NFL MVP in the battle for the starting role.
Belichick has seemingly shown his support to Newton by making that statement, but the truth is that with the season-opener against the Miami Dolphins drawing nearer, there's no clue about who will be at the helm.
Cam Newton when asked if Belichick told him he would start: "He hasn't said that"
Following the Patriots' joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cam Newton faced the media and its questions about who the starting QB of the Patriots would be. But the former Carolina Panthers star wasn't comfortable with the question.
When the reporters mentioned Belichick's declarations about him being the starter, he evaded saying "You know the answer to that question," but as he kept on being asked about it, Newton blasted: "Y’all sitting up here asking silly questions to me, and I’m looking at y’a’ll with the same thing. I don’t know what ya’ll want me to say. You know he hasn’t said that, so for you to just ask the question, it is what it is,” as quoted by Boston Herald's Karen Guregian.
“I don’t take (your questions) personal. I just want you guys to understand, everything y’all know, I know,” he added. “There’s no hidden motives or things like that. I do know those things like that, I can’t worry about. Because each and every day, I don’t necessarily care about who’s starting, I mostly care about making sure I put the best product out there for me, and I know Mac (Jones) is feeling the same way.”
There's still a long way to go before the 2021 season gets underway, and despite the fact rookie QB Mac Jones is making progress, he doesn't have the experience Newton does. Besides, getting the starting role could come too early for him, while Cam already has many of these kinds of games under his belt. But in the meantime, he doesn't want to be asked about it.