Cam Newton gets grilled for calling Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa game managers

In 2023, Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa are all in MVP consideration, an award Cam Newton has won. But if the free-agent quarterback has his way, none of these candidates would get his vote.

The former Carolina Panthers quarterback explained that all these players are essentially managing good teams:

"Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Jared Goff and Dak Prescott are game managers ... they are not difference makers."

That's a bold statement to make given that Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy lead the NFC with their teams sitting 10-3 and Tua Tagovailoa's Dolphins are 9-4 despite their latest loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.

He also included Jared Goff in the conversation, who has taken the Detroit Lions to a 9-4 record this season and revitalized the franchise.

Fans were not happy with Newton's comments and called him a "joke". Here are some of the best reactions on X (formerly called Twitter):

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Can Dak Prescott, Tua Tagovailoa and Brock Purdy be called game managers?

Dak Prescott has been sensational for the Dallas Cowboys this year and is the favorite to win the MVP. He has moved ahead of Brock Purdy, who is generally ranked second, and Tua Tagovailoa is also in and around the top five.

One could make the case, in Cam Newton's support, that Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa have looked worse when they have not had their best offensive players available.

The San Francisco 49ers lost three straight when Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams had to overcome injuries. The Dolphins quarterback looked pedestrian when Tyreek Hill went of injured against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.

That could be said of pretty much any player, though. At least in the case of Dak Prescott, even that does not apply. With Trevon Diggs out on defense, the pressure is on the offense to perform, and he has delivered. He lost trusted weapons from last year like Noah Brown and Dalton Schultz and has had to recalibrate to Mike McCarthy's play-calling from this year.

However, even if all of that were true, all that matters is even players get the win. Tom Brady may have fewer MVP awards than Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, but his seven Super Bowl rings make him the GOAT. A player like Joe Flacco has a ring with the Baltimore Ravens, being a successful game manager.

That's still one more than Cam Newton has, and he's still playing in the NFL. He may yet win another with the Cleveland Browns, who have the meanest defense this season in terms of yards allowed per game, playing the same role.