Bill Belichick has a reputation for being hard on players, and Cam Newton was well aware of that prior to signing with the New England Patriots. The former MVP even had concerns about it, but he already sounds happy with his decision.
In an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” Monday morning, Newton admitted he was a bit uneasy about the idea of playing for Belichick. However, he quickly realized the two are a “match made in heaven.”
“I didn’t know what to expect. Just the same questions that a lot of people and talk shows, gossip talk, barber shop talk, chit-chatter, text messages — they wanted to know, I wanted to know as well,” Newton said. “I wanted to know is it real what they say about Belichick? Just, I didn’t know.
“Honestly, it’s been a match made in heaven for me just knowing I am at a place where everything is pulling in the same direction and everything is geared towards winning.”
Newton said any previous opinions he had about Belichick changed the first time he had a conversation with the future Hall of Famer.
“I think every type of stereotype that I had about Coach Belichick changed the day I talked to him,” Newton added. “You look at the players he’s had over the years — obviously the Brady’s, the Randy Moss’, the Corey Dillon’s, the Lawrence Taylor’s, and the list goes on, Tedy Bruschi, it’s no wonder why he’s sustained success over the years.
“If he was able to accomplish those things with those players, it made a lot of sense. The time when I spoke to him and obviously meeting with him face-to-face, it removed any type of doubt, if I even had any. It’s just exciting to play for a person like that.”
The only thing that will matter is the results, but the feeling appears to be mutual. Belichick has had nothing but positive things to say about Newton throughout the offseason. Newton has been named the starter for Week 1, though Belichick will not admit that publicly.
Most of the NFL has given up on Newton because of his injury history. Health will still be the biggest question mark, but he has a tremendous opportunity to revive his career in New England. Even if there are times when he becomes frustrated with Belichick’s style, Newton knows this is his best chance to prove he can still be an elite starter.
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