The Patriots Have a Potential Quarterback Catastrophe on Their Hands Thanks to COVID-19 Vaccine Questions

With the departure of Tom Brady, New England Patriots fans are mourning the loss of one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. However, it might not be the end of the road for Brady. After all, he could be a free agent come the beginning of the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Patriots came out last week and said Tom Brady was ready to play in the Super Bowl. Then, he was spotted running at the end of practice with a giant ACE bandage on his left hand. This raised a few eyebrows and questions. Was he injured? How bad is it? Who would fix it?

Right now, Patriots fans are feeling pretty good about their team, as quarterback Tom Brady won the AFC Championship and the team has been one of the most dominant teams in the NFL this season. But the Patriots may have a severe problem on their hands this offseason, as many of their young players who received the C.O.V.I.D.-19 vaccine will be eligible to sign with other teams after the new league year starts in March.

Cam Newton and Mac Jones declined to say if they had taken the COVID-19 vaccination when questioned during training camp, which may cause problems down the road for the New England Patriots.

According to the NFL’s new health and safety standards, any club that is unable to reschedule a game postponed due to a COVID epidemic among unvaccinated players would lose the game. This new rule has ramifications for playoff seeding as well.

Many teams are working toward the vaccine goal, but the requirement has caused some debate. It may elicit much more discussion and worry in New England.

Cam Newton and Mac Jones have been tight-lipped about whether they got the COVID-19 vaccination.

Cam Newton has been tight-lipped about whether or not he has been vaccinated. “It’s too personal to share,” he said.

Mac Jones likewise refused to disclose whether or not he had received the vaccination.

β€” August 5, 2023, Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN)

At Patriots training camp on Thursday, Cam Newton and Mac Jones didn’t feel like talking about vaccinations.

Newton engaged in some back-and-forth with a reporter who inquired about his vaccination status. The former NFL MVP retaliated by asking the reporter whether he had been vaccinated, to which the reporter replied that he had. Then Newton changed his mind.

Newton told Audacy, “I believe it’s too personal for each and every individual to sort of address it.” β€œAnd I’m going to leave it at that.”

Jones, who was chosen 15th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Patriots, likewise characterized the COVID-19 vaccination as a personal decision. The answers from both quarterbacks may seem to be formulaic. Earlier this week, though, head coach Bill Belichick informed reporters that the team would not discuss immunization status with the media.

While Belichick and company may want to dodge the specifics, the Patriots are unlikely to replicate last season’s results.

In 2023, Newton was a part of the COVID epidemic in New England.

After multiple positive tests on both teams, the NFL postponed Sunday’s game between the Patriots and the Chiefs. Cam Newton was reportedly one of those who tested positive. https://t.co/VGffLPb5bq

October 3, 2023 β€” The New York Times (@nytimes)

Newton has previously experienced a coronavirus infection.

Before the Patriots’ Week 4 game with the Kansas City Chiefs, the quarterback tested positive for the virus. That game was postponed and rescheduled, but New England still had a lot of hoops to jump through before facing the Chiefs with a squad that was severely depleted.

It’s probably safe to assume the Patriots would want to prevent a situation like this happening this season. Reaching the level does not completely eliminate the chance of the team contracting the virus, but it significantly reduce it.

Newton is not in the clear, despite the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated last autumn that reinfection instances are uncommon. This is particularly true now that the Delta version is becoming more common.

Is it really feasible for the Patriots to go through this again?

What if COVID makes its way into the Patriots’ quarterback room?

Cam Newton and Mac Jones prepare to throw during New England Patriots training camp

Cam Newton and Mac Jones prepare to throw during New England Patriots training camp The Patriots would probably want to stay away from a COVID epidemic in their own quarterback room | Boston Herald/MediaNews Group/Matt Stone

Two of New England’s signal-callers are presumably unvaccinated, which seems to be a formula for catastrophe.

Some fans may point out that a single individual getting the virus is not always the cause of an epidemic, which is true. Nonetheless, if one of the Patriots’ quarterbacks contracts COVID owing to a lack of immunization, the quarterback room may be badly harmed.

New England, unlike last season, cannot rely on rescheduling or the NFL taking steps to give an additional week. The Patriots, like the rest of the NFL, have been issued a warning. They face the danger of hurting their chances of making the playoffs.

Fans of the Patriots are more likely to be focused on Newton and Jones’ training camp duel. However, if COVID intervenes, the Week 1 starter may be the least of the team’s concerns.

Michael Irvin claims he wasn’t being political when he spoke about the COVID-19 vaccine, saying, “I Only Care About a Ring.”

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