After the season-ending injury to Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Football social media pages debate whether the Broncos should call up quarterbacks not currently on the active roster, such as Cam Newton and Drew Brees, as the Indianapolis Colts did with Phillip Rivers. Newton still hasn’t officially retired, but he told listeners on his 4thand1 podcast that he will reject any call from the Broncos for the remainder of the postseason.
Newton Doesn’t Want to Put Himself in Another Bad Position
Despite the excitement of the opportunity, past experiences and the challenges of learning a new system in such a short time make Newton hesitate.
“It would be cool to consider, but I don’t want that opportunity [because] I don’t know [anything in] Denver, we [don’t have any] history or roots, I don’t know Sean Payton’s offense. It’s [going to be] very vanilla if they call and ask me. I have put myself in way too many bad situations before just for somebody to say, ok I told you [he’s washed up],” Newton said on the 4thand1 podcast.
Newton remains confident in his abilities and emphasizes that quarterbacks need plenty of time to get acclimated to new offenses.
“I’m a good package, but I need a little bit more than a week to prepare,” Newton said.
The Quarterback Doesn’t Want to Waste Any of His Time
Tired of teams treating him like a joke, Newton also hinted that he would only join a team that intended to use him long-term, rather than a team likely to release him after a short stint.
“I’ve got a new attitude cause [ I’m not going to] keep going back and forth with [teams], you [aren’t going to] keep taking my money, taking my energy, taking my time and playing,” Newton said.
The 2015 MVP Insists He’s Still in Shape
Newton maintains the same workout regimen he used during his career, even though he hasn’t played in the NFL for years. He has the utmost confidence that he’s in good enough shape to play for any team that calls him for help.
“I stay ready, so I don’t [have to] get ready if doggone John and Sean were to call me, I would’ve had to consider some things, but I probably would’ve respectfully declined [because] that [isn’t] a situation that [is] worth my time,” Newton said.
Newton has the potential to return to the NFL, and only time will tell if he joins an active roster again. Most teams will want to sign him as a veteran, particularly if he can mentor young quarterbacks.