Cam Newton May Struggle at Taking Criticism From Patriots Coaches, Says Ex-Teammate
We've heard nothing but good things about Cam Newton since he joined the New England Patriots on June 28. But here's something that will make you a little worried.
Former Patriots and Panthers defensive tackle Kyle Love - who spent six seasons with Newton in Carolina - had some troubling remarks regarding Newton's ability to be receptive to criticism from coaches.
“This is just my opinion, but I don’t feel like Cam can take the pressure of coaches talking down about his play," Love told the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan. "If he had a bad game in Carolina, the coaching staff wouldn’t say much to him because they may have felt he could be a little frail about it or maybe pout,” he said. “They never really corrected to the point Bill used to correct Tom.”
Newton has been known for his pouting ever since he walked out of his press conference following the Panthers' loss in Super Bowl 50. Reporters bombarded him with questions about his play following the game, and as a result Newton ended the press conference abruptly. It was a troubling sign for a player that was the face of his franchise but couldn't seem to handle some hard-hitting questions without letting his emotions get the best of him.
If Newton wants to survive in New England, he needs to keep his emotions at bay.
As we've heard over the years, head coach Bill Belichick wasn't afraid to throw his future Hall-of-Fame quarterback (ie Tom Brady) under the bus during film sessions as if he was some no-name with zero pedigree. That means there is no player on the team that is exempt from taking criticism from Belichick or anyone else on the coaching staff, and that would include a former MVP that joined the team this offseason and plays quarterback.
If Newton isn't receptive to the criticism that will be thrown his way in Foxboro, then his time with the Patriots will be short-lived.
