Many were shocked to see Cam Newton sign a contract with the New England Patriots that could potentially be worth the NFL minimum, but the former league MVP says he would rather earn respect than money in 2020.
Some details of Newton’s contract emerged on Wednesday night, and his base salary is just over $1 million with half of that due at signing. Newton can then make an additional $6.5 million in incentives and rosters bonuses. If his Instagram post from Thursday is any indication, Newton is not worried about his paycheck.
“Its not alot of things money can’t buy, but amongst the top of that list of things, you would find RESPECT as one of those!” Newton wrote in his trademark font. “THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY FOR ME. Its about RESPECT.”
Newton was cut by the Carolina Panthers at a terrible time, as the quarterback market was oversaturated this offseason and there were several starting-caliber QBs available. Because of that and his injury history, there were no guaranteed starting jobs available for Newton. One report claims the Patriots were the only team to make Newton an offer, though that is likely because he informed teams he was unwilling to lock himself into a backup role. The 31-year-old probably could have made slightly more as a backup somewhere, but he’ll have a chance to earn a starting job in New England.
The goal for Newton will be to prove he can remain healthy and still play at a high level. If he does that, his next deal will be much more lucrative. It’s worth noting that the Patriots get to decide whether or not he becomes a free agent next year, but Newton is hoping to make that decision a difficult one for his new team.
