Sports
Report: Patriots release Cam Newton, name Mac Jones starting quarterback – Sportsnet.ca
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Mac Jones era in New England has begun.
The Patriots released Cam Newton on Tuesday, clearing the way for the rookie to open the season as New England’s quarterback, according to a person with knowledge of the move.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced.
Newton’s release came hours before NFL teams reduce rosters to 53 players and brings an abrupt end to his stay in New England. Newton went 7-8 as the starter in the Patriots’ first season since Tom Brady departed and signed with Tampa Bay. New England finished 7-9 for the year.
“I really appreciate all the love and support during this time, but I must say please don’t feel sorry for me!! #imGOOD,” Newton posted on Instagram Tuesday.
Running back James White said Newton’s departure is an example of players never knowing what to expect when roster cuts are made.
“Cam did his best job for us and competed extremely hard. He’s a good football player,” White said. “I hope he gets another opportunity to land on his feet.”
Newton started each of New England’s three preseason games, but he also missed five days of practice leading into Sunday’s exhibition finale against the New York Giants after a “misunderstanding” of NFL COVID-19 protocols. Newton attended an out-of-town doctor’s appointment, and because he is unvaccinated, he had to stay away from the team for five days.
Meanwhile, Jones was impressive throughout training camp, displaying an ability to lead the offence down the field and bounce back from mistakes. He’s also earned the respect of the coaching staff and veteran players.
“He’s accepted the challenge and he’s trying to push us in the huddle,” White said. “We believe in him.”
Fellow Alabama alum and linebacker Dont’a Hightower said last week that Jones’ work ethic has stood out in the locker room. He also noted how he recently heard the rookie had been looking at the Patriots’ defensive plays to help him conceptualize how opposing defenses might attack.
“I give him credit for that because not a lot of young guys would see that as an opportunity and he did that on his own,” Hightower said. “You can take that for what it’s worth. The kid works hard. I’ll leave it at that.”
Coach Bill Belichick acknowledged at the time that Newton’s COVID-19 protocols absence provided an opportunity for Jones. The rookie seized it, performing well during the first of two joint practices with the Giants.
“I’m going to be ready whenever my time comes up,” Jones said after Sunday’s 22-20 win over New York. “We got work to do and we’ll get the things fixed and then we’ll just keep rolling.”
Though he didn’t start any exhibition games, Jones took 107 snaps to 38 for Newton. He completed 69 per cent (36 of 52) of his passes for 389 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
“I’ve learned at a young age to just prepare like the starter,” Jones said Sunday. “You don’t have to be the starter, but you have to prepare and get into your routine.”
When he was drafted in April, Jones became the first quarterback selected in the first round during Belichick’s time in New England.
The Patriots’ move means this could mark the second time in the NFL since the merger that more than two rookie quarterbacks started opening games.
Trevor Lawrence already has been named the starter in Jacksonville; Zach Wilson is projected to start for the Jets; and Jones is set for New England’s opener against Miami on Sept. 12.
Five rookie quarterbacks started openers in 2012.
The sale of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah has been formally approved by the NHL’s Board of Governors, per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli (Twitter link). The vote received unanimous support from the board, shares The Athletic’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link). The NHL has promptly released their first statement on this transition (Web link).
This news brings a quiet end to the long-running saga surrounding the Coyotes search for a home in Arizona. The team has been pushing to build a new arena since their lease ended at Gila River Arena at the end of the 2021-22 season. They searched through many options, ultimately settling on building and sharing a small, 5,000-seat arena with Arizona State University’s hockey teams. The Coyotes played their first game at Mullett Arena in front of a sold-out crowd on October 28, 2022. They’ve since maxed out their attendance in nearly every game since, though the devotion from the fans wasn’t enough to will the team to a new rink. The ownership group, led by Alex Meruelo, ultimately couldn’t find a new parcel of land to build a full-size rink before their timer ran out. After a lot of back-and-forth between the Coyotes ownership and the NHL, it was ultimately decided that the Coyotes will relocate to Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 season.
The decision to relocate has come with a lot of contingencies for Meruelo and the Coyotes brand. Most notably, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shares that a return to Arizona wouldn’t require approval from the Board of Governors (Twitter link). Meruelo could instead get his team back quickly by building a full-size arena, with NHL Deputy Commissioner telling Wyshynski, “[Meruelo] has already been approved as an NHL owner.” The Coyotes will continue forward as an “inactive” franchise while Meruelo continues searching for a new home.
The disbandment of the Coyotes has been devastating to fans that have supported the impossible – hockey in the desert – for the past 28 years. Arizona only once averaged below 12,000 attendees prior to their move to Mullett – and it wasn’t by much, averaging 11,989 attendees in the 2009-10 season. But they rebounded well, even averaging 14,606 fans throughout the 2019-20 season. The devotion of Coyotes fans was never once in doubt – a passion made clear by the community’s rallying to support the Coyotes’ last home game on Wednesday, April 17th. Watch parties across Arizona came together to witness one more Coyotes win – a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, the same score as their first game as a franchise. The emotions of the evening were captured beautifully by a five-minute sign-off from broadcaster Todd Walsh, who’s covered the team since their 1996 move (Twitter link).
New York Rangers (1M) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)
Game 1: Capitals at Rangers — Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, TVAS, MSG, MNMT)
Game 2: Capitals at Rangers — April 23, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW)
Game 3: Rangers at Capitals — April 26, 7 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN360, TVAS)
Game 4: Rangers at Capitals — April 28, 8 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN360, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP)
Game 5: Capitals at Rangers — May 1, TBD
Game 6: Rangers at Capitals — May 3, TBD
Game 7: Capitals at Rangers — May 5, TBD
Complete Rangers-Capitals series coverage
Sports
The Bruins' strengths + vulnerabilities, and the path to a series victory for the Maple Leafs – MLHS Playoff Podcast – Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Founded in 2008, Maple Leafs Hotstove (MLHS) has grown to be the most visited independent team-focused hockey website online (Quantcast).
Independently owned and operated, MLHS provides thorough and wide-ranging content, varying from news, opinion and analysis, to pre-game and long-form game reviews, and a weekly feature piece entitled “Leafs Notebook.”
MLHS has been cited by: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBC News, USA Today, Fox Sports, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, TSN, Sportsnet, Grantland, CTV News, CBSSports, The Globe & Mail, The National Post, The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun, Global News, Huffington Post, and many more.
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