When rumors and reports first started to surface regarding the pairing of quarterback Cam Newton and the New England Patriots ahead of the 2020 season, Asante Samuel had his take on the matter. The longtime cornerback, who spent more years with the Pats than with any other franchise, actually responded to a report that poured cold water on the buzz connecting the two parties and made his thoughts clear.
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About 16 months later, the same Bill Belichick that Samuel referenced in the tweet reportedly decided to cut Newton in a fairly abrupt manner, sending shockwaves throughout the NFL community. Many were surprised by the move... but don't count Samuel among that group.
He also used the opportunity to throw a jab at Belichick, who ESPN's Louis Riddick called "cold blooded." Apparently, that's not a strong enough adjective for Samuel's liking, who also doesn't feel that Belichick is anything special as a coach.
This isn't a new opinion shared by Samuel, so it's not like he's just using Super Bowl LV as the basis of that statement. In fact, the former cornerback shared the same sentiment on social media before we knew anything about how successful Brady would be in his new Tampa Bay stomping grounds.
Samuel has even claimed — and stated it as a "fun fact" — that he made Belichick a better defensive coach by allowing him to better understand the cornerback position and playing style, but that's a story for another day.
The story now is where Cam Newton will go, whether or not it was the correct move for Belichick to make, how Mac Jones will fare, and only about 100 more topics of discussion to go over in Boston. But while there's a little bit of tension, one thing is settled: Mac Jones is your New England Patriots starting quarterback to kick off 2021.
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