New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton wouldn't reveal much while meeting with reporters after practice on Thursday, including whether or not he's received the COVID-19 vaccine.
"It's too personal to discuss it. I'll just keep it at that" Newton said via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Newton was among the Patriots players who tested positive for COVID-19 last season, which resulted in multiple games being postponed.
This season, however, it won't reschedule games during the new 18-week schedule due to a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players, and teams will instead be credited with a loss via forfeit, according to "sources informed of the situation."
Newton's comment comes days after the NFL reported 90% of players are fully vaccinated or have had at least one COVID-19 shot, according to league Vice President of Communications Brian McCarthy.
The Patriots, however, have not shared specific team totals and head coach Bill Belichick wouldn't confirm whether that was in the team's plans.
“Yeah, we’re not going to get into that,” Belichick said via CBS Boston.
Newton also coyly brushed off questions about the behind-the-scenes battle for the starting role at quarterback.
"You won't get no intel for me," Newton said while smiling via ESPN's Mike Reiss.
Belichick has acknowledged that the starting job is Newton's to lose, despite the Patriots selecting former University of Alabama standout Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“Yeah, as I said, every one of us has to go out and establish our level of performance in whatever our role or capacity is,” Belichick told reporters at training camp last week via Pro Football Talk. “So it’s a new season. We’ve done some things in the spring, but this is really the start of football season in terms of the team-building part in training camp. So we all have a lot of work to do, that includes all of us. So, until we go out and do anything, it's pretty much a clean state."
When asked if that clean state included the Patriots quarterbacks, Belichick responded, "including the coaches and all the players."
In June, Belichick credited Newton as being "way ahead of where he was last year" during the team's minicamp session this week.
“Yeah, well, Cam is way ahead of where he was last year at this time, there’s no question about that, as you would expect,” Bill Belichick said on Tuesday morning ahead of the Patriots' second minicamp practice via CBS Boston. “He has a good year of experience under his belt, and we’ll start the process at the beginning, and not being in catch-up mode like he was last year.”
Newton didn't sign with New England until June 28, 2020, but teams didn't hold OTAs or minicamps due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, so the former NFL MVP didn't miss any practice time.
However, a short window to learn the Patriots' playbook, as well as injuries to himself and key offensive teammates, led to struggles from the veteran quarterback as he looked to have a career resurgence in New England.
“I mean he was really just starting at this point last season, but he’s well ahead of that, just from the year of experience and from the succession of building blocks that he’s been able to stack up,” Belichick said. “Like all the players that have been here since the start of the OTA and the offseason program back in April, they’ve been able to stack those days and those learning experiences together, ask questions on things that they need clarification on, and build to the next level when they’re ready to put another put another brick on the pile.”
Belichick publicly reaffirmed his stance that the starting quarterback job was Newton's to lose after the Patriots selected Mac Jones at No. 15 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and would remain so until Jones or third-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham were "ready to challenge and compete."
New England also re-signed veteran backup Brian Hoyer last month, who is expected to compete with Stidham for third on the depth chart.
"Cam Newton's our quarterback," Belichick said during the Patriots' draft press conference in April. "Whatever time Jarrett or Mac are ready to challenge and compete, we'll see how that goes. But right now for Mac, he's just got a lot of learning in front of him. I know he's very anxious to get going and get started on it."
In March, the Patriots re-signed Newton, despite a disappointing first season with the franchise. The former NFL MVP threw for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while going 7-8 as a starter in 15 games.
Newton and the Patriots agreed to a one-year contract "worth up to $13.6 million," sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The Patriots finished the 2020 season with a 7-9 overall record, having previously won the AFC East during 11 consecutive seasons.
Jones led Alabama to a College Football National Championship and was third in the Heisman voting behind teammate DeVonta Smith and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence during his lone season as Alabama's full-time starting quarterback.
Jones threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and four interceptions on 311 of 402 passing -- while also recording one rushing touchdown -- while leading the Crimson Tide to a 13-0 record in 2020.
Jones also made four starts in the absence of Tua Tagovailoa following a season-ending injury in 2019.
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