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"No, I'm not there," he said Monday on the Greg
Hill Show. "I still have a lot of football left. I still want to
play football. I have the urge to be better. After putting out
this film? Hey, c'mon now. I definitely can't go out like this."
Newton and the Patriots lost Sunday and were eliminated from
playoff contention for the first time since 2008. The 22-12 loss
to the Miami Dolphins underscored a number of needs, head coach
Bill Belichick allowed, and sends the Patriots to a full
offseason of rebuilding for the first time in nearly two
decades.
"I have to coach better, we have to play better, we have to
tackle better, a combination of all of those things," Belichick
said Sunday after the Dolphins amassed 250 rushing yards.
Newton, 31, signed a one-year deal with the Patriots after being
released by the Carolina Panthers. He said the tale of the 2020
season for the Patriots has been coming up short.
Now it's to be determined whether the Patriots, or another team,
will give Newton a shot to prove this season was an anomaly.
Newton remained unsigned for several weeks when he was cut by
the Panthers in April.
The Patriots have gone 21 possessions without a touchdown. Up
next is a Monday night date in Week 16 with the AFC East
champion Buffalo Bills.
Belichick could decide to try 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett
Stidham with the playoffs no longer a possibility.
"Listen, I'm just going to keep doing what I'm asked to do, and
for me, I've just got to keep getting better," said Newton, the
MVP of the 2015 season. "Keep doing what's asked of me and go
over and beyond and try to learn the system each and every week.
I know we're in the latter part of the season, but still try to
learn as much as possible."
--Field Level Media
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