FOXBORO, MA – After months of speculation on where he will land, 2015 NFL MVP and former Carolina Panthers quarterback has finally found a new home in Foxboro with the New England Patriots, thanks to agreeing to a one-year deal.
Newton, 32, who has the unenviable task of trying to replace the recently departed six-time Super Bowl champion QB, Tom Brady, will reportedly compete with current QB’s Jarrett Stidham and veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer. Once one of the top and elite quarterbacks in all the NFL, the former top overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and 2010 Heisman Trophy winner played in only two games—and a total of 16 over the last two seasons—as he would suffer a rash of injuries.
Ultimately after failing to seek a trade, Newton would be released by the Panthers.
In going from the always unpredictable and topsy-turvy NFC South to a sans-Brady AFC East, instead of facing the likes of the aforementioned TB12, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees twice a year, he’ll face a couple of second-year starting QB’s in the form of Josh Allen and Sam Darnold and a rookie in Tua Tagovailoa.
In what may be the NFL’s newest version of the “odd Couple” you have a head coach in Bill Belichick hungry to prove he can win with the G.O.A.T. and a once-proud and unceremoniously discarded franchise QB in Newton looking to prove his old team wrong.
Suddenly, what once looked like a open division for either Buffalo or New York to lay claim to, may still have to contend wit the defending division champions with a new signal caller under center in Newton.
And just like that, the AFC East went from least to the most interesting new division to watch in 2020.