Report: Cam Newton being unvaccinated was factor in release

Cam Newton was cut by the New England Patriots on Tuesday, as the team decided to move forward with rookie Mac Jones as their starting quarterback.

Numerous reasons have been given for the Patriots’ decision. One factor in New England’s decision reportedly was Cam’s vaccination status against COVID-19.

Pro Football Network’s Adam Beasley, who used to cover the Miami Dolphins, reports that the main factors were Cam’s uninspiring play, Jones’ emergence, and Cam being unvaccinated.

There wasn't just one reason that Cam Newton is gone. It was a combination of at least three, I'm told: Mac Jones' emergence, Newton's vaccination stance (which caused a bit of a stir behind the scenes) and Cam's uninspiring performance this summer.

— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) August 31, 2021

Interestingly, Beasley says that Newton’s vaccination stance “caused a bit of a stir behind the scenes.” Last week, Newton missed five days due to a testing misunderstanding. The team reportedly was frustrated with him over the situation.

It’s unclear whether that was the behind the scenes issue to which Beasley was referring, or if something else happened. But it sure seems like Newton’s choice did not help his cause. This is not the first time we have heard about vaccination statuses being a problem for teams.