Tuesday morning, the New England Patriots sent a shockwave around the NFL by cutting quarterback Cam Newton, clearing the path for Mac Jones to be the starter in Week 1.
The move was cold-blooded, in keeping with the way Bill Belichick runs things at the organization. But when you see what Belichick said about Newton just 90 minutes before the Boston Globe announced the roster move, it makes the whole thing seem even more savage.
Here’s Belichick at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday during the morning press conference. “Certainly he started at a much higher point than last year,” the coach said of Newton. “Definitely moving in the right direction.”
What Bill Belichick said about Cam Newton, just before cutting him: "Certainly, he started at a much higher point than what he did last year, so definitely moving in the right direction."
Lukewarm. pic.twitter.com/74pCH1NmsH
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) August 31, 2021
Within 90 minutes, the Boston Globe reported that Newton had been cut, which means that Newton was either cut right after this press conference or, more likely, the decision had already been made to cut him. Absolutely brutal.
It’s also a great reminder that you should never, ever listen to what Bill Belichick is saying because he is almost certainly not telling reporters the truth. A lesson we’ve all learned many times over, no matter how many times we need to be reminded.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.