Rivera Admits Cam 'Popped Up on Radar' of Washington

Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera and former New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton obviously have a connection. So when the QB comes available, the coach is going to get asked about it.

And when the QB comes available, the coach is going to think about it, too.

Rivera spoke frankly to reporters this week in the wake of Newton's availability, saying the idea "did pop up on our radar" inside WFT headquarters. But then the coach explained why the concept stayed on the "radar'' so briefly.

"Just so you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick is our starting quarterback," Rivera said. "So that's where we are.''

Rivera and Newton were with the Carolina Panthers when the QB was the 2015 NFL MVP and played in a Super Bowl.

Maybe the coach is being somewhat polite in his public consideration of Newton, who at 32 may be destined to be something other than an NFL team's "starting quarterback''; after all, can't the question be about whether Newton might be superior to the guys Washington has beneath Fitzpatrick on the depth chart, namely Taylor Heinicke and Kyle Allen?

It's worth noting that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, in turning the page from Newton to rookie Mac Jones as his starting signal-caller, has not opted to make Newton the New England No. 2.

So what about the other WFT QBs?

"We have three guys that we like that all came to camp, did a nice job for us and we're going to go forward with those guys,'' Rivera said.