CHARLOTTE, NC – NOVEMBER 13: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers emerges from the tunnel before their game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Bank of America Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Cam Newton addressed his contract situation with the Patriots.
Cam Newton opened up about his contract numbers with the New England Patriots on Thursday.
Newton and the Patriots agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Sunday. Details of Newton’s contract reveals he’s only guaranteed $550,000. Through incentives, Newton can earn a max of $7.5 million.
The contract has drawn controversy as Newton, 31, is expected to win the starting job in New England. With so much scrutiny circling around Newton’s contractual numbers, Newton explained on Instagram his mindset when agreeing to terms:
“It’s not a lot of things money cannot buy, but amongst the top of that list of things, you would find respect as one of those,” Newton captioned his post. “This is not about money for me, it’s about respect.”
Meanwhile, there are six backup quarterbacks who are making more money than he could possibly earn in 2020. None of those quarterbacks has an MVP or Super Bowl appearance on his resume like Newton does.
It’s worth noting that Newton’s predecessor, Tom Brady, took similar pay cuts early in his career during the Patriots dynasty in attempt to keep the team together. Brady passed on earning about $60 million, according to Business Insider.
Perhaps Newton is taking a similar path to best keep this team competitive with the goal of winning a Super Bowl this upcoming season. Ultimately, his sacrifice does show how much he wants to win at this stage of his career. This low-risk move on the Patriots’ end is a high-risk and possibly high-reward scenario for Newton.
Newton was a former Heisman winner and won a national title at Auburn before being drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year played nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers before signing with the Patriots. Newton already owns the career record for most rushing touchdowns for a quarterback in NFL history.