Cam Newton: COVID-19 battle set me back for the whole season

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was one of many NFL players who tested positive for COVID-19 during the 2020 season. 

The 31-year-old missed just one game, but said on Brandon Marshall's podcast that his battle with COVID-19 set him back for the entire season, according to The Boston Globe.

"I was one of the first football players to catch it, and it happened so fast," Newton said. "When I came back, that's where the lack of an offseason and the lack of time in the system really showed itself. I was behind and I was thinking too much. The offense kept going and I was stagnant for two weeks. It was all new terminology. I wasn't just trying to learn a system for what it was, I was learning a 20-year system in two months."

Newton and the Patriots were 2-1 before he was sidelined. The former MVP was averaging 238 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per game. After he returned from COVID-19, the Patriots went 5-7, with Newton averaging 162 passing yards and 37 rushing yards per game.

Newton's struggles contributed to the Patriots missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 campaign. At the end of the season, it was reported the two sides were going to part ways this offseason. However, the Patriots still don't have a quarterback, leaving the door open for a potential Newton return.