Belichick: Newton's vaccination status not a factor in decision to release

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that his decision to part ways with quarterback Cam Newton was solely based on football reasons.

Belichick insisted Newton's vaccination status was not considered, adding that "there's a lot of factors involved" when deciding the best course for the 53-man roster, according to Patriots Wire's Henry McKenna.

On Tuesday, the Patriots made the shock move to release the former MVP and hand the starting job to rookie first-rounder Mac Jones.

In early August, Newton refused to say if he had been vaccinated, saying it was "too personal" to discuss publicly.

Newton missed five days last week after a "misunderstanding" regarding the re-entry protocol following a team-approved medical appointment. Only fully vaccinated players are exempt from the testing period before returning to the team facility.

Jones has impressed during training camp and the preseason after being selected with the No. 15 overall pick in this year's draft. Belichick said the first-year field general had proven he could run New England's system the way the team wanted.

"First of all, he's had a high level of production," Belichick said, according to Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. "I feel like he's been able to show an ability to do things the way we want them done at a productive level.

"He's young, I'm sure he'll continue to learn and grow. We'll see where that goes. That's why we drafted him, and I think he’s come in and performed at a level that supports that."

Jones will make his first NFL start on Sept. 12 against the Miami Dolphins and former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovailoa.