Cam Newton signs with New England. So he’ll face Seahawks, Russell Wilson in 2020--again
The Seahawks’ primetime showcase game this season against New England just got more interesting.
From-Jarrett-Stidham-to-Cam-Newton more interesting.
Supposedly lacking the usual luster of a Seahawks-Patriots matchup because of Tom Brady’s exit to Tampa Bay this offseason, Seattle’s week-two game against New England at CenturyLink Field now will include a long-time foe.
Newton has joined the Patriots.
News broke Sunday that the 2015 NFL most valuable player had agreed to a one-year contract with New England. The Boston Globe and others reported the deal could be worth up to $7.5 million for 2020.
Provided the league begins its season on time amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Seahawks’ home opener is against the Patriots Sept. 20 in a Sunday night game. The rematch of Super Bowl 49 from February 2015 will be nationally televised by NBC.
Carolina released Newton, its former franchise player and Super Bowl quarterback, after nine years in late March. A regime change didn’t want the 30-year-old as the Panthers’ guy anymore. Carolina signed Teddy Bridgewater to be their starter for 2020 and beyond instead.
Brady signed a two-year, $50 million contract with the Buccaneers in March after his 20 years, nine Super Bowls and six NFL championships with the Patriots.
New England also has the 23-year-old Stidham, Brady’s backup last season, and former Cleveland Browns starter Brian Hoyer, 34, at quarterback. But the Patriots wouldn’t have signed Newton if they didn’t expect him to be healthy and effective enough to start this year.
Newton and Wilson are both 31. Wilson turned 31 in November. Newton’s birthday was last month.
Newton is 2-6 in his career against Wilson and the Seahawks, including the playoffs. One of those wins was in the NFC divisional playoffs in January 2016, during Newton’s MVP season on his way to playing in Super Bowl 50.
Due to NFL scheduling rotations and their finishing at the top of their NFC divisions each season, Wilson and Newton —the Seahawks and Panthers — played nine games against each other from 2012 through last season. They’ve been almost like division rivals.
Wilson and Newton have played each other more than any other opponent outside of their divisions since 2012.
Newton missed the Seahawks’ win at Carolina this past December when he had a season-ending foot injury after playing only two games in 2019.
Newton and the Panthers unsuccessfully sought trade partners before his only NFL team released him this offseason. He had been scheduled to earn $18.6 million in 2020.
He posted on his social-media account this offseason “I’m free and hungry.”
Now he’s signed, and presumably still hungry to prove he’s healthy and remains an elite quarterback.
He’ll likely get his second chance of the year to prove that in Seattle.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 10:58 AM.
