Devin McCourty: We Need to Let Cam Newton Be Himself
The signing of Cam Newton was interesting for a multitude of reasons. That will always be the case when you bring in a new quarterback. Especially when that quarterback is replacing Tom Brady.
We all know how talented Newton is on the field. But he also has a glowing personality. You can see his smile through his helmet miles away. That is something that can seem contrary to the "Patriot Way." Fun isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Patriots and their head coach Bill Belichick. But then again, this is the same team that had Rob Gronkowski and his eccentric touchdown celebrations, and Brady, who wasn't afraid to show his emotion after a big play.
Some critics have wondered how Newton will fit in New England and if his personality will clash with the team. We saw the same argument when New England brought in Randy Moss and that seemed to turn out well. The Patriots almost ended up with another Super Bowl ring.
Patriots safety and captain Devin McCourty isn't worried about Newton's bold bravado. He believes that the Patriots need to embrace Newton's personality and learn from him.
"I think our quarterback room got better when Cam joined the team," McCourty told Sports Illustrated this week. "He is a veteran guy, he has played a lot of football, he's won an MVP, he's played in a Super Bowl. So I think those are all the things we can learn from him. Great intangibles, understands the game, he's played at a high level for years, and I think we gotta use that. We got to use his personality, who he is as a person, let him be himself, and I think we all have to grow from that."
The six-time Super Bowl champions seem to be embracing Newton's personality based on the hype video they posted, which welcomed Superman to the team.
McCourty and the defense will be able to learn a lot from Newton once they are able to practice together. Newton is an experienced read-option quarterback. He can give new and unique insights from a mental and physical aspect into the offensive system that has become very popular in the NFL.
Newton will likely also be a leader in the locker room. As McCourty mentioned, he has the experience and knows what it takes to win. Cam Newton isn't some no-name scrub; he is a former NFL MVP.
