The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the New England Patriots harder than any team in the league after six weeks.
Starting with Cam Newton’s positive test, the Patriots’ games have been moved around and numerous other players contracted the virus. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore was one of those players.
The Patriots lost 18-12 to the Denver Broncos and the whole team appeared to be discombobulated. It was mostly from missing two weeks of practice and getting thrown into the fire with a team that had two weeks of practice and real preparation.
Newton discussed his positive test and the ‘nightmare’ situation he had while appearing on WEEI’s ‘Greg Hill Show’ on Monday morning.
“Of course. Of course, but I don’t think it was coach’s decision,” Newton said. “I think it was more or less the doctors. I think this whole pandemic has thrown a wrench in a lot of organizations. For us being one of them, it’s an ongoing situation that we do not have any of the slightest idea where it’s coming from. Who has it. Who contracts it. Where you contract it from. How you were to do certain things because I do believe we had the proper precautions with everything that’s taken place and you still cannot understand where it’s stemming from.”
Leading to the question, Newton didn’t know where it came from?
“Correct. Correct,” he said. “I think the biggest scare here for everybody was just my daily routine of how many hours I put in in the facility… I was more concerned about it because I didn’t want to put nobody else on the team in jeopardy for this. The fact that Steph (Gilmore) contracted it was my worst nightmare being that I would never want to sabotage anything to the slightest degree. Because I know what we have the capability of becoming.”
The Patriots are now 2-3 after the loss and have one of the league’s toughest schedules ahead of them. This virus is making for some odd twists in the league and the Patriots are really feeling it.
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