Patriots QB Cam Newton responds to criticism of flashy attire: ‘Not changing the way I dress’
In the words of NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good.”
While that may be true, New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, who dresses to impress, has not impressed many in recent weeks with his play on the field.
Former NFL quarterback, now a football analyst, Jeff Garcia slammed Newton on Sunday for his flashy attire while not producing on the field.
“You go into this game with two touchdowns, four interceptions, you threw what, three more interceptions?” Garcia began on his rant about Newton reported USA Today. “You get yanked in the second half, there’s nothing good going your way. Why are you dressing like that to bring more attention to yourself? I’d be trying to ask the equipment managers ‘Put me in your jock sock cart and sneak me in the back door and I’ll show up on the field and do the best that I can.’”
Garcia was speaking on NBC Sports Bay Area. He continued, “This just goes back to a couple years of just watching this guy and seeing him at the podium, but yet what he’s doing on the field does not translate to being that guy.”
Video of the clip is posted on Twitter.
Newton has not produced great numbers on the field. On Sunday, the Patriots were clobbered by the 49ers, 33-6, with Newton finishing 9-of-15 for 98 yards with three interceptions. He was benched for back-up quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The Patriots are 2-4 and have lost their past three games.
Newton was asked about the comments on Monday morning during a call with sports radio show The Greg Hill Show on WEEI.
According to Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal, Newton said that he agrees with Garcia.
“It’s fair to say. I know I come off to so many different people so many different ways. He’s exactly right, but I’m not changing the way I dress.”
On Jeff Garcia's comments that he shouldn't wear flashy clothes until he wins
Newton: What's crazy is I agree with him... It's fair to say. I know I come off to so many different people so many different ways. He's exactly right, but I'm not changing the way I dress.
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) October 26, 2020
Newton did acknowledge that he needs to play better or he could be replaced permanently by Stidham.
Frank Carnevale is the TribLive multimedia editor. He started at the Trib in 2016 and has been part of several news organizations, including the Providence Journal and Orlando Sentinel. He can be reached at fcarnevale@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.