Cam Newton accidentally skipped a COVID-19 test, and the New England Patriots quarterback ended upon in violation of the NFL’s policies for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
Newton was traveling for a medical appointment and missed the Patriots’ daily testing, a necessity for unvaccinated individuals. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport explained “Newton tried to do the right thing and got tested away from the facility so he wouldn’t miss a day. But that part wasn’t specially communicated to the team. So he officially ‘missed a day’ even though he didn’t.” That left Newton in violation of league protocol, which forced him to undergo a five-day re-entry period. He will be eligible to return Thursday.
Essentially: Cam Newton tried to do the right thing and got tested away from the facility so he wouldn’t miss a day. But that part wasn’t specially communicated to the team. So he officially “missed a day” even though he didn’t. Now he must wait 5 days. https://t.co/n75YjFU5Mn
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 23, 2021
The Patriots released a statement on Monday to address Newton’s absence from the facility.
“On Saturday, Cam Newton traveled to a Club-approved medical appointment that required him to leave the New England area. He received daily Covid tests, which were all negative,” the Patriots wrote. “Due to a misunderstanding about tests conducted away from NFL facilities, and as required by the NFL-NFLPA protocols, Cam will be subject to the five-day entry cadence process before returning to the facility. Cam will continue participating virtually in team activities and return to the club facility on Thursday, August 26.”
With Newton unable to practice, rookie quarterback Mac Jones has a major opportunity to build his case to win the starting job. That said, Jones had an uneven practice on Monday.
