Cam Newton reveals 'ridiculous' part of Patriots tenure

Quarterback and one-time Most Valuable Player Cam Newton spent only one regular season as a member of the New England Patriots. He seemingly won't forget what he referred to as the "grind" associated with playing under former head coach Bill Belichick.

"My workload in a given day was ridiculous," Newton said about his New England stint during the latest edition of his "4th & 1" YouTube show, as shared by Nick O'Malley of MassLive. "I would leave the facility around like 8 and 9 p.m. and be back in the facility at like, 4:35."

Over the years, numerous players have addressed all that came with the so-called "Patriot Way" embraced by Belichick during his New England tenure from 2000 through this past season. 

His methods undeniably worked when Tom Brady served as his starting signal-caller, as the two guided the franchise to six Super Bowl championships from February 2002 until Brady left New England as a free agent in March 2020. 

Newton and the Patriots agreed to a deal in late June 2020. 

"It’s an art," Newton said about the Belichick-run Patriots. "It’s not for everybody. Some would say it wasn’t for me. I experienced it. It was something that – I told them – it will always have a long-lasting effect on how I view business now. Because there’s a reason why they were a dynasty for so long. It’s because they created a way that was a proven product." 

Newton went 7-8 as a starter with New England during the 2020 season. He was released shortly before Week 1 of the 2021 campaign after Belichick named then-rookie Mac Jones his QB1. 

It's assumed that Newton missing practices that summer due to a violation of COVID-19 protocols opened the door for Jones to win the job.  

Then again, perhaps Newton would've played better with the Patriots had he chosen a different home in the area. 

"...I would have to drive back to Boston," Newton said about his journeys to and from the Patriots' facility. "That was gonna be like 45 minutes to an hour, depending on what traffic was even at that time at night – or early in the morning. I was like, damn. It was a lot, man."