FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – Cam Newton struck a particularly positive chord in his freshman year with the New England Patriots, but after another frustrating performance in which he was pulled in the middle of the third quarter by a hit loss against the Buffalo Bills, he responded.
Newton was asked for an image on ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Football’ broadcast, which showed that he woke up every day at 4:20 a.m., left home at 4:30 p.m. and didn’t retire until 11:30 p.m.
“That’s been my schedule for 90% of the time I’ve been here, so you can understand the frustration I have when I don’t have the outcome because I’m sacrificing so much. You’re talking to someone who hasn’t had their kids for three months. has seen, ”said Newton.
Clearly the contract is what it is. Submitting myself to this team is something I’ve been doing since day one. Be accessible. Yes, it is frustrating. It drives you crazy. ‘
Newton is playing on a one-year deal with a minimum base salary of $ 1.05 million. The contract includes incentives and bonuses that will ultimately increase value by approximately $ 2.6 million.
Monday night against the Bills, he finished 5 of 10 passes for 34 yards, while adding four rushes for 24 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown on a scramble game.
Coach Bill Belichick pulled him with 8 minutes, 21 seconds to go in the third quarter, with the Bills leading 31-9.
“Cam did a good job for us. I mean, that wasn’t the problem,” Belichick said of the decision to turn to sophomore quarterback Jarrett Stidham. “We were not very competitive in the game.”
In fairness to Newton, he threw a perfect hit on the field to receiver Damiere Byrd on the first run of the game that Byrd dropped. The piece highlighted how the Patriots’ troubles extend far beyond Newton himself, as their receivers and tight goals were among the least prolific in the NFL this season.
But Newton also recognized that he can play better too.
“It’s extremely frustrating to know what you’re capable of, to believe in yourself. It’s just not showing when it matters most,” he said.
Belichick said he hasn’t decided on his quarterback plans for Sunday’s season finale against the visiting New York Jets.
Regarding Belichick’s support so far, Newton said, “The feeling is mutual. I will get better every week, and feel more comfortable with this violation over the last week. Let’s see where it takes me.”
But his frustration was palpable late Monday night.
“It makes you angry when you know that to be a trusted teammate you first have to submit to authority and you have to submit to what the coaches ask you to do. I feel like I did. in the place of the blame. “I’m kind of venting right now, because yes, I’ve sacrificed so much this year,” he said.
“I mean, it hurts when you have the outing you have tonight, just go home and then start another whole week.”