Jakobi Meyers credits a Patriots’ QB for saving his career

The Patriots have experienced a lot of change since the departure of Tom Brady in March 2020. From quarterbacks to receivers, to offensive coordinators and defensive captains, the team has endured more than its fair share of growing pains throughout the last two-plus years, and a great example of that would be wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

The first season without their franchise quarterback may be the most difficult year of all. Bill Belichick was without a quarterback and had limited options around the league. There was also the belief that the draft wouldn’t provide the talent the team would be looking for at the 23rd pick, and it’s well-known how seldom if ever Belichick trades up in the first round.

Deciding to pass on choosing their next signal caller in the draft and sticking with who they currently rostered, it appeared the Patriots were not looking to find their next go-to quarterback. But things changed in June when it was reported Cam Newton was signing a one-year deal to presumably take over the quarterback duties.

Although there was a lot of initial excitement regarding the news, the overall performance of Newton and the team led to many dreading the next game each and every week. But since his release from the team before the 2021 season, Newton has provided more context to the struggles he faced during his time with the Patriots and acknowledged his shortcomings when on the field.

Despite the not-so-fond memories of Newton’s time in New England, several players have spoken highly of their former quarterback and the bond they formed during their shared season. The most recent player to express his thoughts on Newton was Jakobi Meyers during a live stream appearance on Emezie’s Twitch channel, a former teammate of his at North Carolina State.

Discussing his first two seasons in the NFL, Meyers opened up about the struggles he faced early on. He saw little playing time during his rookie season and that path continued through the beginning of the following year.

"“Not too many people know this, man, but Cam really kinda saved my career. When Cam first got there — that was my second year in the league, and it was still at a point, when the season first started, I wasn’t playing. They would take me to games, they would sit me. So, I wouldn’t even sit on the sideline. I would up in the box — a healthy scratch. And that’s really not the best thing to be in the NFL.”"

He went on to detail how Newton’s influence and belief in him helped force the drastic turnaround in his attitude and involvement in the game.

"“Probably like the sixth or seventh game of the season, my mood had completely changed. I wasn’t talking. I had headphones on every day in the building. I was really going through it. (Newton) just came to me and was like, ‘I can see it, man, I can see it. You’re a good player but you’re just in your own head right now. Just keep going, know what I mean? When your number’s called, you’ll be all right.’ But I was down. He came and … really lifted me up. And then I finally got my chance, he was giving me the ball. He was feeding me. Stayed positive. Whenever he went training, he’d take me with him.”"

The 2020 season was the awakening of the former undrafted free agent. Meyers’ talent was finally on display and Newton’s purposeful involvement of him kickstarted the receiver in becoming the most reliable piece on the Patriots’ offense.

Over the last two seasons, Meyers’ performance has been nothing short of impressive as he’s easily transformed into a consistent playmaker no matter who’s playing quarterback. And although he’s enjoyed all of those he’s caught passes from, his time with Newton stands out amongst the rest for a special reason.

"“Cam was really a great quarterback to play with. I’ve enjoyed all the quarterbacks I’ve played with. But, as far as lifting me up as a person and at the same time really helping me as a player, nah, he definitely (helped).”"