Former Panthers and Patriots quarterback Cam Newton knows all about playing football under Bill Belichick. After New England let Tom Brady walk at the end of the 2019 season, the former NFL MVP spent 2020 in Foxborough as the team's signal caller.
So—knowing what he knows about Belichick as he heads to North Carolina to become the Tar Heels' next head coach, Newton relayed a lofty comparison for what he'll mean to the program on ESPN's First Take:
"Bill Belichick going to Chapel Hill is the best thing for Chapel Hill since Michael Jordan," said Newton. "And I didn't blink."
"Bill Belichick going to Chapel Hill is the best thing for Chapel Hill since Michael Jordan."
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 13, 2024
—@CameronNewton 👀 pic.twitter.com/aCW40yQ61J
Jordan spent three seasons with the Tar Heels, winning a national championship in 1982 to go along with two First Team All-ACC nods, before being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft and becoming one of the greatest basketball players to walk the planet.
The now-61-year-old has also given plenty back to the university—notably securing business deals with UNC and his Jordan brand for several different uniform and apparel partnerships across the athletics department.
While comparing Belichick's arrival to Jordan, Newton also relayed his hesitation with the Tar Heels brining him in as their next head coach.
"This is one of my main concerns," he continued. "Can Bill Belichick adapt? Being able to say, 'Okay, how can I teach this younger generation how to prepare? How can I teach this younger generation how to take care of their body? How can I teach the younger generation all these intricate tools for not just football—but life?'"
"I went to New England and I saw this first-hand," Newton explained of his time with the Patriots. "It was an internship, a paid internship, and I'm seeing Bill Belichick on a day-to-day basis... the thing about Bill Belichick that a lot of people don't understand is, he is a machine like you would expect him to be. On the treadmill, constantly watching film. He's not the most—'Hey guys!' [type of person]—that's not him. But knowing Belichick, he's going to know people to hire to make sure he gets his top-tier talent. Because you're now going to an industry where it's all about one thing: recruiting. Can you recruit the top-tier guys? And can those top-tier guys buy into your formula?"
For what it's worth, Belichick told reporters on Thursday that he looks forward to the recruiting process at North Carolina, saying, "The recruiting process belongs to everyone."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cam Newton Relays Lofty Michael Jordan Comparison for Bill Belichick at North Carolina.
