Cam Newton must be aware of what people are saying ahead of New England Patriots’ training camp. He’s in an open competition with Mac Jones and Jarrett Stidham for the QB1 job.
While Newton has years of experience in the NFL, his 2020 season was unimpressive, with just 20 total touchdowns (8 passing, 12 running), 10 interceptions and 2,657 passing yards. The Patriots finished 7-9. The arrival of Jones, the 15th overall pick, will threaten Newton’s hold on the starting job.
During a session on Instagram Live from trainer George Whitfield Jr.’s account, Newton fielded a question about how he manages all the hate and negativity.
“Simple,” Newton said, per Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “Feed your focus. Feed it. If the hate ain’t in my focus, I don’t feed it. I feed off of it, but I don’t feed it. It’s two different things. When I sense or when I dwell on hatred, that’s the product that’s gonna come out: rage, anger. But that’s the hatred using me, not me using the hatred. So I want to process that and make that fuel me. I don’t dwell on what a person may say, what this person may say, she say, I just use it to my advantage, and I feed what I want it to feed.”
Newton is working on conditioning and throwing mechanics with Whitfield, but it sounds like he is keeping his mind sharp for the upcoming competition.
“You gotta visualize yourself already there. Get your mental thought of being in that moment and taking your place there,” Newton said. “And once you get there, find so much distress that you can gutter up and feel comfortable in it. Whenever that is. And that’s how you grind. You know what I’m saying? Just take your mind to that place, stay there, get uncomfortable, and be comfortable with being in that position.”
