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Cam Newton may be changing the New England Patriots, but Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is changing the sport.
That's according to the Patriots QB, who expressed words of praise for the Super Bowl MVP ahead of the Week 4 clash between the two AFC contenders at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
“Man, he's changing the game,” Newton said Thursday. “I think he's shining light on the new wave of quarterbacks. It's just fun to watch.”
Newton won NFL MVP in 2015, leading the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 record and an eventual Super Bowl berth. In his first two seasons as a starter, Mahomes won an MVP (2018), a Super Bowl, and earned a $500-plus million contract.
Three games into the 2020 season, the 25-year-old superstar has led the Chiefs to an undefeated start, throwing for nine touchdowns and no interceptions.
Newton lauded Mahomes for his ability to manipulate defenses and make otherworldly plays on the fly:
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“It's not like he's just back there and it's an arcade game,” Newton said. “Sometimes it looks like it, but he knows exactly what he's doing and how he's manipulating the defense. That's the same thing that the Dan Marinos used to do. Obviously the Tom Bradys. The Aaron Rodgers. Those guys really have so much command of the offense that you dictate to the defense. That's what he's doing. He's playing the game at a high level.”
The admiration is mutual between the two dual-threat QBs. Earlier this week, Mahomes fondly remembered watching Newton star at Auburn, where he won a Heisman Trophy and national championship on his way to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft. The Chiefs superstar even wishes he had some aspects of Newton's skill set:
“I wish I could do some of the things he does, as far as how physical he is, and the way he's able to make plays happen. He's a great football player, someone I watched when he was at Auburn,” Mahomes said. “He's in a great spot now and he's playing really good football.”
Newton, 31, has thrown for 714 yards (2 TDs, 2 INTs) and rushed for 149 (4 TDs) in his first three games in New England, leading the Patriots to a 2-1 record.
