Cam Newton was shockingly released from the New England Patriots, just on the heels of him missing five days of practice after breaking Covid protocol.
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The Patriots quarterback had one year with the team before the Pats decided to move on. Why the team made the move is unclear, but there are some hints as to what might have happened.
Last year, the Patriots took a calculated risk by signing Cam to their squad for a very cheap deal laden with incentives. Just when Cam was begining to find his footing in the Patriots scheme, he contracted Covid-19, and once he came back he just wasn’t the same anymore. Now the Pats are done with him despite giving one more year initially.
Patriots release QB Cam Newton. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/h2KPNcJaoF
— NFL (@NFL) August 31, 2021
What Did Cam Newton Say About The Covid Vaccine? Cam Newton Vaccine Comment May Have Been Why He Was Released
Newton had a misunderstanding a few days earlier which led to him breaking Covid protocol. Newton didn’t do anything to put his team at risk, but he was testing at locations away from NFL facilities, and so he was mandated to stay away from the team for five days.
Pats’ QB Cam Newton out five days due to COVID protocols. Pats: “Due to a misunderstanding about tests conducted away from NFL facilities, and as required by the NFL-NFLPA protocols, Cam will be subject to the five-day entry cadence process before returning to the facility…”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2021
Newton did seem to return to the team, but after that, he had some interesting comments to make about the Covid-19 vacccine. The NFL has been very strict on its rules for unvaccinated players, ready to hand down fines and punishments as Cole Beasley and Isaiah McKenzie found out.
When reporters asked both Cam Newton and rookie Mac Jones about whether they were vaccinated or not, both of them chose to deflect the question. Newton would say:
“I think it’s too personal for each and every person to kind of discuss it. And I’ll just keep it at that.”
Newton was one of the few players on the Patriots squad who used to come out to the field with a mask, something the NFL requires for all unvaccinated players. Perhaps, the Patriots didn’t want to deal with the drama of having an unvaccinated player, and so, they chose to release Newton, but nevertheless, the situation is surprising.
