New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton is set to officially take the reigns at quarterback for Tom Brady in New England following Brady’s signing in Tampa Bay, and Newton’s arrival from the Carolina Panthers.
While, on paper, it would seem that Newton, or any quarterback replacing Brady, would be feeling immense pressure, Newton says he feels none.
“That’s not pressure to me,” Newton said, according to Boston.com. “Pressure is when you’re looking at your children and you’re saying you’re 31 and you don’t know. You’re not ready to retire but nobody is calling your phone. That’s pressure. When you don’t have control of your destiny.”
Newton is amped to take the field this Sunday as the Patriots kick off their 2020 season against the Miami Dolphins.
“I’m elated, I’m excited, I’m all that and a bag of chips because I knew that if God didn’t show favor over me, man, who knows where I’d be right now,” Newton said.
Newton is motivated to show the league that he can still the elite player that he was his entire career with the Panthers, and is excited to get back to the field following a year away from playing football due to injury.
“I’ve been away from football…for a full year” Newton said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I haven’t really had this whole process for a long time now…[I’m] excited about the game plan and more excited about just trying to get in a routine with the newness of the playcalling, the coaches and even the players.”
“I just want to remind even myself that I’ve been here before,” Newton said. “This is my 10th season…I’ve been playing in a lot of games in my life, a lot of opening days and…a lot of impactful, meaningful games….I know how to control myself…Reward yourself but at the same time don’t be too hard on yourself that you can’t get to the next play.”
