FOXBOROUGH, Mass. New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton reflected on his challenging 2020 season in a long, passionate video conference that had the feel of a retirement interview in which he said goodbye.
“My only regret was that I wanted more time for what I was working on,” Newton said when asked if he could do something else to contribute to more personal success.
“I’ve been in this league long enough to always narrow down a bit, like, ‘Man, we don’t need any preseason. We don’t need any OTAs. We’re ready to start.’ Yes, maybe if I was still in the system I came from, but if you learn this system, you just need more time, you need more real representatives to go through, because there is only so much you can make up.
“You can put on the lashes. You can do your eyebrows. You can put on your lipstick. The mascara and the lip liner. But sooner or later it will rain and you will show the true truth. And unfortunately it showed – – not necessarily on ways I did not want. ‘
Newton, who spent most of the off-season as a free agent before signing a modest one-year deal with the Patriots on July 8, leads New England Sunday in the final season against the visiting New York Jets (CBS, 1:00 p.m. ET). ). Despite not knowing what the future holds, he pointed out that this will be his last game for the Patriots (6-9). He noted that there are teammates he still wants in the future.
In 14 games as a replacement for Tom Brady this season, Newton passed 221-of-338 for 2,415 yards, with five touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He added 513 running yards in 126 vehicles, with 12 touches. Newton tested positive for the coronavirus in early October, missing one game and playing through a stomach injury in early December.
But Newton said the hardest part of 2020 was away from his kids, who miss two birthday parties, Christmas and milestone moments, like his son’s first steps.
“All of this, being 86 nights unemployed, yes, it’s hard. Injuries have, yes, it’s hard. If you go through this season, you can assume what a Boston juggernaut media market is … The slander that satisfies to the TB12 expectations; yes, it’s all difficult.You hear it. [But] none of it is even a short time to not be able to see your children. And then you suck on top of that? Oh, man.
“For me, I can still be better. I can still be more consistent. Some of the throws I had, I wish I had had. But no one cares about the circumstances, no one cares about “The waves or the tide in the water. They just care that you just roll the ship in, and I did not do that consistently enough.”
Newton, 31, called himself a ‘mentally difficult SOB’ when asked what he learned about himself, saying his focus on optimism helps.
“It was almost like going under the hood to work on my attitude, patience, faith, the resilient side of you. What are you going to do if things are not so good?” he said.
“Because it was sometimes this year, ‘God, what are you doing? What are you trying to tell me?’ It teaches you patience and teaches you to have confidence and understand that, sooner or later, you are going to get a break.
“I’m not looking for handouts. And by 2020 I’m going to sign, seal [and] tie this year, put a big knot on it. I can buy every lock, key and throw it all away. I do not want to see any part of 2020. But it made me a better person. I do believe that. ‘