Former NFL quarterback and league MVP Cam Newton claimed that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and several other quarterbacks in the NFL, are strictly game managers and not game changers.
Newton called out Tagovailoa, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
Tua Tagovailoa and Brock Purdy are “game mangers,” not “difference makers” according to Cam Newton
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— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) December 13, 2023
“Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff and really – Dak Prescott,” Newton said. “These are game managers. They’re not difference-makers.”
It’s a little surprising to see Newton call all of these players game managers, especially since Prescott, Tagovailoa and Purdy are viewed as MVP candidates this season. All three players have their teams currently in a top-two spot in their respective conferences entering Week 15 of the NFL season.
Prescott and Purdy are currently No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the NFL in passing touchdowns this season, while Tagovailoa isn’t far behind at No. 4. All three players have more touchdown passes than Patrick Mahomes, who won the league’s MVP award last season.
Goff doesn’t have as great numbers, but he’s eighth in the NFL in touchdown passes and sixth in the league in passing yards this season.
Tagovailoa currently leads the NFL in passing yards, and he’s helped Tyreek Hill post some insane receiving numbers this season. Hill has a chance to become the first player in NFL history to record 2,000 receiving yards during a regular season.
Newton seemingly thinks the job of some of those game managers is simply not to throw a pick on every possession.
“I don’t give a damn what you do,” Newton said. “You don’t have to score every time. You just don’t have to throw a pick every time either. If we’re going to really call a spade a spade, a game manager is different than a game changer.”
While Tagovailoa has thrown 10 interceptions this season, Purdy (seven picks) and Prescott (six picks) have both done an impressive job of taking care of the ball.
Newton’s criticism of all four quarterbacks might be a little unfair, as they all are currently leading their respective teams to the top spots in their divisions.
The former MVP is certainly entitled to his opinion, but it’s possible that his comments – if heard by the quarterbacks – will motivate all of them to finish the season in big ways and lead their respective teams on playoff runs.
