New England Patriots: Cam Newton already making history

Cam Newton will be the first Black quarterback to start under center for the New England Patriots in Week 1.

The signing of Cam Newton was important for a lot of reasons. It signaled the new direction that the New England Patriots would be heading in.

For the first time in over 20 years, the organization would be without Tom Brady. The foundation of the organization is gone.

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There appeared to be a QB battle even after Newton was signed with Jarrett Stidham competing for the starting position, but it was never close. As long as Newton was healthy, he was going to be the starter.

But there is more to Newton winning the starting job. He will make history on Sunday. Newton will be the first Black quarterback to start Week 1. Also, Newton will be just the second Black quarterback to start a regular season game for New England. The other one being Jacoby Brissett

It’s rather stunning that it has taken this long for this to happen. I guess it shows how far the game has come, but also how far it has to go. In Week 1, nine NFL teams are expected to start Black quarterbacks.

Newton realizes just how important this is.

"“It’s a big deal,” he said. “It’s really a big deal. I understand who I am, I understand being an African-American in this time, we have to be stronger and sticking with each other more than ever now, yet this is a great feat to achieve. But at the end of the day, we have to make sure we’re using our platform for positive reasons, and that’s what I want to do.”"

Just being represented somewhere is so important. It might not seem like it for a white guy like myself. I’m used to seeing myself as a superhero, president, or almost every single character you could think of.

That isn’t the same for African-Americans. Just over 10 years ago Barack Obama was the first Black president. In 2018 Black Panther became a cultural phenomenon.

Newton starting at quarterback for the Patriots will inspire a generation of kids. He will show them that anything is possible. Newton’s impact expands well off the field and will have ripple effects through multiple generations.

Like many fans, I am pumped to see what Newton does in Week 1, but he has already made history before even taking a snap.