Cam Newton will be first Patriots starting QB since 1993 that wasn’t homegrown

The New England Patriots named Cam Newton the starting quarterback, and he’ll be the first since 1993 that wasn’t homegrown.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the New England Patriots named Cam Newton as the team’s starting quarterback ahead of Jarrett Stidham.

The former NFL MVP was in a “competition” with the former Auburn signal-caller but there was never any doubt that as long as Newton was healthy, he would be the starter.

Bill Belichick announced the move at a team meeting on Thursday, according to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe. The move comes days after Belichick praised the former Carolina Panthers franchise quarterback for his work ethic.

Cam Newton was also named a team captain for the Patriots in addition to earning the starting quarterback job

With Newton winning the starting job, it snaps one of the most impressive streaks in the NFL that many people likely weren’t even aware of. For the first time since 1993, the Patriots will not start a homegrown quarterback.

This snaps a streak of 423 straight games that a player drafted by the Patriots started under center. The next-closest team in the Super Bowl-era was the Dallas Cowboys at 227.

The last Patriots quarterback to start that wasn’t homegrown was Scott Secules who went 0-4 in his four starts in the 1993 season before giving way to No. 1 pick Drew Bledsoe who then gave way to Tom Brady who had Matt Cassell, Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo fill in for him when he was injured during his Hall of Fame career with the Pats.

With Newton on the Patriots, it’s another reminder that even though Belichick still patrols the sidelines in New England, it’s very much a new era.