WASHINGTON — The chances of a Panthers reunion in the nation's capital seem low after Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera said his team isn't interested in signing the veteran quarterback.
"It did pop up on our radar," Rivera said of Newton becoming a free agent. "But just so you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick is our starting quarterback. OK, so that's where we are."
Rivera said all three of Washington's quarterbacks, including former Carolina players Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke, "did a nice job" during training camp and the preseason. Rivera and Newton spent nine seasons together with the Panthers, including an appearance in Super Bowl 50 in 2015-16.
Newton was released by the Patriots Tuesday after losing the quarterback position battle to rookie Mac Jones. There are also questions about Newton's COVID-19 vaccination status after he missed practice last week due to a "misunderstanding" of a COVID-19 test.
Newton declined to say if he'd been vaccinated, calling it a personal matter. In a statement last week, the Patriots said Newton underwent daily COVID-19 tests, all of which were negative. According to NFL protocols, all Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals, including all players, are exempt from daily testing if they have received the COVID-19 vaccine. Newton missed one game last season after testing positive for the virus.
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