Bill Belichick, Cam Newton and the New England Patriots. But ultimately, the union that seemingly made so much sense a year ago – as each sought fresh starts and vindication after rejection from former partners – just didn’t work.
And so, after a preseason that featured continued inconsistencies from Newton, Belichick released the 2015 NFL MVP while turning to rookie Mac Jones. And so begins another new era in Foxborough that Belichick and Co. hope more closely resembles their past.
Belichick has officially turned the page.
Down the stretch of last season, with the Patriots on the verge of missing the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, Belichick faced frequent questions about Newton’s job security. The future Hall of Fame coach continued to defend his quarterback, although the offense had plunged to 27th in the NFL in both scoring and passing yards per game. Belichick continued to express confidence in Newton this offseason and preseason while giving him every opportunity to retain his job despite Jones’ arrival.
