Cam Newton Talks About Tough Season With Patriots, Not Able To See His Kids

The marriage between the New England Patriots and quarterback Cam Newton had plenty of ups and downs in 2020.

Newton, brought in late to be the starter quarterback in place of the departed Tom Brady, sports a quarterback rating of just 45.1 entering Sunday's season finale for the 6-8 Patriots.

New England won't be in the postseason for the first time in 2008, and most of the blame will be on Newton, who at times has looked like a shell of the quarterback who was the NFL MVP in 2015.

Newton turns 32 next season and will be an unrestricted free agent, so he probably won't be back in New England in 2021.

Despite the tough season for Newton, the quarterback is saying all the right things and keeping a good attitude. He knows that it was always going to be tough to live up to the expectations many had for him when he signed with the Patriots.

“I’m a mentally tough S.O.B., bruh,” Newton said on Thursday to reporters via a videoconference. “Like, all of those things, being unemployed for 86 nights, yeah that’s tough. Having injuries, yeah that’s tough. Going through this season and you can kind of assume what a juggernaut media market that Boston is or Foxboro, New England, whatever you want to call, is.

"The slander that comes with living up to the TB12 expectations. Yeah, all of that is tough. You hear it. None of it is even a close second to not being able to see your children. Just that. You miss your kids’ first steps. You’re not there during Christmas. You’re not there on birthdays.

"And then on top of that, you’re sucking? Ah, man. And coming from a person that’s already emotional? And I don’t even want to talk to people on a regular day let alone when everything is going good. But I’ve learned that through it all, you only got your faith in God, your faith in yourself.”

It's hard to think that any team will bring Newton in to be their starter in 2021, as he's thrown for just five scores, thrown 10 picks, and doesn't have the speed that once made him one of the most dynamic running quarterbacks in the league.

Nevertheless, he's keeping a brave face in a tough situation, and we should give him credit for staying true to himself in trying times in a career that clearly seen better days.