Bill Belichick won’t discuss Cam Newton’s claim he felt ‘bamboozled’ by Patriots

“I crossed all the lines, I checked all the boxes, I dotted all my i’s,” Newton said. “Then to find out I had to sit out, that’s when I kind of felt bamboozled, because y’all told me to go.”

According to Newton, the Patriots gave him “clearance” to travel to Atlanta for a checkup with the doctor who surgically repaired a Lisfranc injury he had in 2019. Asked if he would have gone had he known what the repercussions would be, Newton was clear.

“Absolutely not,” the 32-year-old responded.

On Monday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about Newton’s comments during an interview on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.”

Here’s the exchange:

Greg Hill: I wanted to give the opportunity to respond to Cam Newton suggesting that he was bamboozled by the organization with regard to his trip to Atlanta.

Bill Belichick: Yeah, I think we’ve already covered all that.

Hill: So there was no bamboozling that went on?

Belichick: Look, I have nothing but respect for Cam and everything that he did here. We said that after he was released. My feelings toward him have not changed.

Belichick referenced previous comments about his opinion of Newton.

“I have nothing but positive thoughts and feelings for Cam,” Belichick said during a Sept. 7 interview. “He came in here, he worked hard. He gave us everything he had. Right now, our future is going to be Mac at quarterback, and that is where we’re going to go.”

Backing the rookie quarterback

Tight end Jonnu Smith had a rave review of rookie quarterback Mac Jones following his NFL debut. Said Smith: “I believe that he put us in a position to win. That’s all you can ask for from a quarterback. I think he was very poised, very confident. That’s what you love to see, especially out of a young guy. You knew he was going to control the offense, and I know he’s going to do everything in his power to come back and get ready for this week’s opponent and be better.” . . . Safety Devin McCourty was pleased to see all but two of his family members sport Patriots gear to Sunday’s game against his twin brother, Jason McCourty. Only their mother, who wore a split T-shirt, and Jason’s wife repped the Dolphins. Said Devin: “I’m happy I don’t have to play against my twin brother every week.”