Cam Newton was benched in the second half of Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers after struggling once again, but that does not mean he is losing his job to Jarrett Stidham. Bill Belichick made it clear after the 33-6 loss that Newton is still the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback, and the coach reiterated it on Monday.
Belichick said Sunday that Newton will “absolutely” remain the starting QB heading into Week 8. During his Monday appearance on WEEI, he praised Newton for being the best player on the roster at his position and said there “other problems offensively.”
Bill Belichick on @OMFonWEEI asked why Cam Newton is staying starter: "I think he's our best player there, so again there are other problems offensively. There are things we need to do better and that is what we're going to work on. I think we have our best players out there…"
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) October 26, 2020
Newton completed 9-of-15 passes for 98 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in the 33-6 loss. He also threw two picks against the Denver Broncos last week, giving him five interceptions and no touchdowns over his past two games. The Patriots are reportedly looking to make a significant move before the trade deadline, but Newton needs to play much better.
Neither Stidham nor Brian Hoyer have shown anything in their opportunities, so that is likely a factor in Belichick’s decision to stick with Newton. However, the former MVP has played so poorly that he has had to address questions about whether or not he is injured. There’s only so much longer Belichick can let that continue.
Cam Newton is now a member of the Patriots! Treat yourself or a friend with this great Cam Newton Patriots shirt. You can buy it here.
