Newton 'Embarrassed,' Says Job Could Be In Jeopardy After Late Benching

New England Patriots starting quarterback Cam Newton said he was "embarrassed" over being benched in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The former NFL MVP told reporters Monday morning he will be treating Sunday's game at Buffalo as if his job is in jeopardy.

"The first thing I said to myself coming home was, 'You keep playing games like that, bro, and it's going to be a permanent change,'" Newton said Monday morning on Boston sports radio WEEI via ESPN.com. "You don't need to tell me that for me to understand that. I get it loud and clear."

Head coach Bill Belichick said he pulled Newton out of the blowout loss to give second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham more experience and reiterated that he's "absolutely" planning to keep Newton as the Patriots' starter.

"For any type of competitor, do you feel embarrassed? Yeah," Newton said during the interview. "I don't feel offended by what was done. I don't feel offended having this type of conversation. I'm a realist.

"I don't fear my position stability more so than controlling the locker room. Performances like yesterday jeopardizes [that]. It's like, 'Oh my God!' Players talk, and that's what's most important to me. Knowing you have your coaches' belief [is good], but my belief is that I want to have the whole facility. ... It doesn't start with no miraculous play. It's a whole body of work that goes into performing on Sunday."

Newton finished Sunday's game with 98 yards and three interceptions on 9 of 15 passing. The former Heisman Trophy winner said he wasn't surprised by Belichick's decision to pull him from the game and said he wasn't nervous or scared, but the decision got him "thinking" and motivated him to compete.

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