Is Cam Newton 'at the end of the road' of NFL career?

2015 NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton vowed earlier this week to get some things off his chest and discuss why, in his eyes, the New England Patriots released him on the final day of August. 

Newton did so via a video shared on Friday, but the 32-year-old may not have done himself many favors in the process. 

Hours after Newton's explanation went public, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported one coach explained the veteran signal-caller "may already be at the end of the road" of his career. Another coach said, "The right situation could arise once the season unfolds," suggesting Newton's only road back to an active roster this fall will appear when others suffer inevitable injuries. 

Newton said he was open to serving as a backup for Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones but added he believes head coach Bill Belichick didn't want a former MVP potentially looking over the first-year pro's shoulder. 

"The reason they released me is because, indirectly, I was going to be a distraction without being the starter," Newton said. "Just my aura... That's my gift and my curse. When you bring a Cam Newton to your facility, when you bring a Cam Newton to your franchise, people are interested." 

Newton famously missed time last month because of a supposed "misunderstanding" of the NFL's COVID-19 protocols, and it's believed he isn't vaccinated against the coronavirus. Questions about his play, his willingness to quietly sit behind a starter on a roster and his vaccination status may all cause teams to look elsewhere whenever they need quarterbacks between now and the end of the season.