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Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s departure has brought a change in the team’s culture. Gunna, a popular rapper, joined some Patriots players for a workout at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, this highlighted the changes in Foxborough. The “Never Recover” singer lifted weights and ran drills with some pro players.

The Patriots players and staff pushed him hard in the gym and on the field, treating him like one of their own. This unusual event caught the attention of many, including former NFL star Cam Newton. When asked about the situation, Cam Newton had a straightforward and humorous response.

Cam Newton supports Gunna, but not on the field

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Cam said laughing, “I f**k with Gunna, though. Anything from Atlanta, bro, I’m supportive of it, but get your a** on off that football field now.” Cam’s comment showed his support for Gunna as a fellow Atlanta native, but also highlighted that he didn’t see the rapper fitting into the football scene. The host of the interview was curious about Cam’s experiences working out with other rappers. “You know what I’m saying? But I know you had worked out with a few rappers. Who would you say is, like, one of the best?”

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Cam thought for a moment and replied, “Like, damn, they kind of got some game. I mean, they all got some measure of athleticism, but when you’re talking about a full-blown athlete just doing a simple karaoke, it’s different.” The conversation then turned to whether Belichick would have allowed such an event to happen if he were still the coach. Newton didn’t hesitate in his response, “No, no. Kinda want to not motherf***ing speed it up.” This suggested that Belichick’s strict and traditional approach likely wouldn’t have welcomed a rapper participating in team workouts.

Bill Belichick was known for his disciplined coaching style. Under his leadership, the Patriots were a well-oiled machine, focusing solely on football. But recently, Damian Harris has criticized him for Mac Jones’ struggles in the NFL.

Damian blames Belichick’s coaching changes

Jones, who played QB for the Patriots, was recently traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jones’ departure was followed by  Belichick’s firing. Damian believes that Jones’ failure in New England was not entirely his fault. Harris said, according to ProFootballTalk, “You took away an offensive coordinator who coached him to be a Pro Bowler and almost coached us to winning our division with a rookie quarterback in his first year.”

Harris referred to Josh McDaniels, who was the Patriots’ OC for many years. McDaniels had a significant role in the Patriots’ success, helping them win six Super Bowls. He left the Patriots to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders but was fired in October 2023 after a disappointing season.

After McDaniels left, Belichick replaced him with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. Harris criticized this decision, saying, “And then you take – whenever Josh McDaniels left – Matt Patricia, who has coached defenses his entire life, and Joe Judge, who has been a special teams coach, coached receivers at some point.” As per Harris, poor coaching decisions affected Jones’ performance. Without the proper guidance from an experienced OC like McDaniels, Jones struggled to adapt and improve. As Jones embarks on a new chapter with the Jaguars, he has the chance to redefine his career and prove his critics wrong.

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