Breaking down list of quarterbacks Cam Newton wouldn't mind backing up
BOSTON -- It's hard to believe, but it was only about 19 months ago when Cam Newton spent a memorable Funky Friday sharing with the world what he believed to be his NFL truth.
"The reason why [the Patriots] released me is because indirectly I was going to be a distraction without being the starter. Just my aura," Newton said in September 2021. "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 by the mere fact of, 'Who is he? Why does he wear his hair? Why does he talk? Why does he act? Why does he perform?' All these questions."
The point Newton was making was that even though he'd be willing to be a backup quarterback in the NFL, his natural charisma and star power were just too strong to make that an appealing situation for an NFL team. As much as it's kind of ridiculous for someone to say that out loud ... it was completely true.
Now, though, with essentially five years separating Newton from quality starting quarterback play, the equation might have changed. And Newton seems to now be campaigning for a backup job in the NFL.
"There ain't 32 guys who are better than me, but I also know that I could also be a backup. And I'm willing to be a backup," Newton said on his YouTube channel.
Newton didn't land any NFL job last year, but he's still just 33 years old and should, in theory, have plenty of football left in him.
"I am 33, soon to be 34, and I do believe that I do have a talent that not a lot of people have," Newton said. "But on another front, it's like, there is so much that I could provide that somebody provided for me in my overall growth."
With that, Newton dropped a list of 12 quarterbacks that he'd be willing and eager to back up in 2023. Here's the complete list:
Josh Allen, BUF
Justin Fields, CHI
Sam Howell, WAS
Jalen Hurts, PHI
Lamar Jackson, BAL?
Anthony Richardson, Rookie
Aaron Rodgers, GB/NYJ?
C.J. Stroud, Rookie
Tua Tagovailoa, MIA
Deshaun Watson, CLE
Malik Willis, TEN
Bryce Young, Rookie
Let's uh ... let's break that list down real quick.
MAKES SENSE
Josh Allen
Jalen Hurts
Justin Fields
Lamar Jackson
There may be doubt about which team Lamar Jackson will play for in 2023, but there's little doubt he's an unquestioned, No. 1 starting quarterback. Same for Josh Allen in Buffalo, and same for Jalen Hurts after his monster season in Philadelphia. To a lesser extent, Justin Fields seems to be headed down that path after he took positive steps in year two in Chicago.
Newton's game would also translate well to fill in for those quarterbacks if needed. Even though a 34-year-old Newton wouldn't have the same explosiveness as those starters, he'd be more than capable of fulfilling the running aspect of the offense if filling in for injury.
NOT CRAZY
Anthony Richardson
C.J. Stroud
Tua Tagovailoa
Bryce Young
Newton spoke about how he hopes to impart his unique wisdom on some players who could benefit from it, so these guys make sense. The three rookies will obviously need some guidance in the NFL, while Tagovailoa's place in the league seems to constantly be questioned -- by his former coach, by pundits, by fans, etc. Newton's been through it all and would make sense as a valuable resource for Tua, who's still just 25 years old.
"I would love or enjoy to groom. And what I mean by that is there's a lot that goes into the most important position in all of sports," Newton explained. "When you talk about it's not track, this is not hockey, this is not baseball, this is not basketball. This is the undisputed leader of a team. And it's the quarterback position."
Newton's been the No. 1 overall pick, a star QB, an MVP, and a Super Bowl starter. He's also been injured, questioned, doubted, released, signed, re-signed, and left to watch the NFL from afar for a whole season. So he's got some perspective and wisdom that could definitely help some young QBs on their own journey.
BIT STRANGE
Aaron Rodgers
Deshaun Watson
Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton are such different quarterbacks and such different people that it's strange to imagine that one making sense. Perhaps Cam is simply fascinated by Rodgers' unique perspective on the world and wants to experience it firsthand.
Watson in Cleveland isn't the craziest concept, but Newton had some things to say about the 27-year-old.
"He was on my 7-on-7 all-star team. I've grown to admire the person, the athlete that he is," Newton said. "Going through a lot of turmoil, but I believe that that's behind him and I know I can provide services for him on the field as well as off the field."
Best to leave that one alone, really!
RANDOM!
Sam Howell
Malik Willis
Newton stated explicitly that he didn't list any situation where he felt he could compete for the starting job. Which by necessity means that he believes Sam Howell and Malik Willis are locked in as starters for their respective teams with nobody being capable of competing with them.
That's weird.
Willis started three games as a rookie and played in eight games overall. He completed 50.8 percent of his passes, averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. He did not throw any touchdowns. He threw three interceptions. He rushed with a little success (27 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD) but was tremendously unremarkable. He's not the starter in Tennessee, either. Josh Dobbs ended up starting Tennessee's final two games of the year.
Willis is, however, a native of Roswell, Georgia, which isn't too far from Newton's hometown of Atlanta. And he played flag football in Newton's program. So Cam is clearly a believer in the young QB and wants to mentor him.
Howell, too, was an out-of-left field name on this list, as he threw 19 passes in his rookie season last year after getting drafted in the fifth round out of UNC. The Commanders also signed Jacoby Brissett this offseason, likely to serve in his patented in-between role of quasi-starter/perfect backup. Washington may believe Howell can be the starter next season ... but that could change in a flash if September goes poorly.
But Howell also played flag football in Cam Newton's program, and the elder QB clearly feels a compulsion to guide and mentor the players who came up through his program.
Still, the image of seeing an NFL MVP state that he's willing to back up Sam Howell and Malik Willis is a bit of a stunner.
INTERESTING OMISSIONS
Joe Burrow
Kirk Cousins
Justin Herbert
Mac Jones
Trevor Lawrence
Patrick Mahomes
Kyler Murray
Dak Prescott
Matthew Stafford
Russell Wilson
Again, Newton said he didn't want to list any situation where he felt like he could compete for the starting job.
"You can't fault me for having that type of mentality," he said. "That mentality has gotten me everything and some from this sport."
So, if Newton was leaving out guys he believes he can beat out for a starting job, we can understand why he didn't list the likes of Davis Mills in Houston, Gardner Minshew in Indianapolis, Desmond Ridder in Atlanta, Andy Dalton in Carolina, Trey Lance in San Francisco, Baker Mayfield in Tampa, and others in that tier. No professional athlete would look at that group of players and say, "I can't compete with them." Understood.
But the list begs the question of why the rest of the established starters don't appeal to Cam for a backup role. And most interestingly, he didn't list Mac Jones. In 2021, he said he would have been happy to back up the then-rookie and that his "aura" was the lone reason for his release, not his attitude. Perhaps he looks at the Mac Jones-Bailey Zappe-Bill Belichick situation from afar and doesn't see it as appealing, or perhaps -- like in Carolina -- he doesn't see a reunion as being possible.
It's also curious why Patrick Mahomes was omitted. What quarterback wouldn't want to play with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?
And why did Rodgers make the list, but Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford didn't?
Alas, only Cam knows the answer to all of those questions. Perhaps, if no teams come knocking after the draft, he'll give us the answers in another YouTube video.