Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Fox on Fridays: New England Patriots Talk with Tanya Ray Fox - 7/10/2020

Episode Date: July 10, 2020

Does the signing of Cam Newton put the New England Patriots back on top? It might be a bit early to make that claim. However, Cam has looked pretty impressive while working out with teammates Mohamed Sanu and N’Keal Harry. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Tanya Ray Fox of FS1 to discuss Newton’s prowess at the quarterback position, as well as the NFL’s most-recent COVID-19 regulations and the impact of the discussions between Julian Edelman and DeSean Jackson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Patriots fans, you are now locked in to the Locked On Patriots Podcast. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and beautiful flower. I'm going to use a small flower pot. I'm going to use a small pot Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. Thank football and Foxborough. It is Friday here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast, your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions,

the New England Patriots. Today's episode is brought to you by rockauto.com. Amazing selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Visit rockauto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. What is happening, Patriots Nation? We are back to help you close out the week in style here on the pod. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots Podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.

And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback always welcomed, greatly appreciated. Feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at M-D-A-B-A-T-E-F-P-C. And while you're out there thumbing through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at L-O underscore Patriots. Patriots fans, Friday's here on the pod take on a little bit of a different persona. I take pride in trying to send you into the weekend on just the right note. And my guest today is among the very best in the business of being able to do just that. I guess you could say today's guest is a Frequent Friday contributor here on the pod,

providing just the right fervor to start your weekend off right. Hmm, let's see. Frequent, Friday, fervor. You know I love my alliteration, folks. That's right, today is Friday with Fox, as in Tonya Rae Fox of FS1. I always love sharing the microphone with Tanya on a Friday. In addition to being a dear friend of mine, she is also one of the voices I trust most in sports media.

The information she provides on any of her platforms, whether it be here on Locked On or one of the myriads of platforms that she contributes to, such as FS1 or her podcast, the Almost Shameless podcast, Tanya is candid, honest, informative, and most of all, folks, accurate. And seeing as it's been well over a month since her last appearance here on the pod,

we have plenty to talk about. And we will certainly leave no stone unturned. We'll talk about Cam Newton's presence in New England, what it means for the Patriots on the field, as well as in the standings. Are they back in the driver's seat for the AFC East? We'll also talk about the recent reports from the NFL Network and the NFL's regulations on trying to contain COVID-19. Is there really any point in restricting post-game jersey swaps

when these guys are going to be battling in the trenches in each other's faces for about three hours each game? And last but certainly not least, we will touch upon the Julian Edelman situation and his recent conversations with Deshaun Jackson. Is this a sign of maturity for Julian and will that translate to a leadership role on the field? Tanya Ray Fox and I will discuss all of this and more, so settle in, folks.

A full, action-packed agenda on the pod today, and as is the case any time Tanya graces us with her presence on the pod, you will not want to miss a single minute of our discussion. But since I last addressed you here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, the Cam Newton deal was made official by your New England Patriots folks. On Wednesday evening, it was announced that Cam had passed his physical and was now an official member in the Foxborough fold. And the team certainly didn't waste any time in hyping up their new addition. Social media vignettes were posted,

leading everyone to believe that this is not a guy coming in here to compete for the backup spot. He wants the spotlight, and quite frankly, folks, I can't see him not getting it. I will never shy away from the fact that I said Jarrett Stidham looked to be the best fit for the New England Patriots this year at quarterback. And yes, that also included Cam Newton when he was a free agent. But when you look at the contract that Cam signed, you understand why the Patriots were at least willing to take a chance. But what's giving me a lot more confidence each and every day are the workout videos that are being posted showing Cam working out with his new teammates and studying the playbook.

So far, we've seen videos of Cam working out with Mohamed Sanu at UCLA's practice facilities. It's also evident that he's been in contact with Julian Edelman. Julian even quoted him on his Instagram page, which showed Cam Newton sitting there studying the Patriots playbook. Just yesterday, we saw video emerge of Cam Newton working out with second-year wide receiver Nikhil Harry, and also rookie tight end Devin Asiasi.

And again, much like the workout videos he posted with Sanu, these are at the UCLA training facilities. And the 43-second video clip that went viral on Twitter was posted by NFL sports photographer and videographer John Aguero. In this video, you can clearly see that there is a chemistry forming between Nikhil Harry and Cam Newton. If you haven't seen the video, folks, please check it out. You see Harry running multiple routes with his Patriots helmet on and catching passes

from Newton. And even though the video doesn't show it, Aguero did say that Asiassi was also a part of the session. But again folks, I'm sure you all want me to go back to my original point. Why the 180, Mike? Why have you, someone who has been firmly seated on the Stidham stump, now hopping aboard the Acela cam train? Well folks, one very good reason. I like what I see.

After all, Cam's deal with the Patriots is official. That means he had to pass a physical. Judging from the videos I've seen, he looks to be more than healthy. In these videos, he's playing with a conviction, and dare I say, folks, a chip on his shoulder that should work to his advantage. And to reiterate a point that I've been saying since Cam signed, if both Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham are both playing at optimal levels, to the best of their ability, I don't see Cam losing that quarterback competition.

And I don't mean that with any disrespect intended toward Jarrett Stidham. It's also not me taking a hypocritical jump onto the Cam Newton bandwagon. Two things change the landscape here. One, Cam signed a very team-friendly deal. It doesn't overextend them when it comes to years, doesn't overextend them when it comes to dollars for certain, and it also gives them the flexibility to utilize the franchise tag if they want to next year. Therefore, a deal that might not have worked just even a few weeks ago, now all of a sudden fit into the Patriots' plans quite nicely. The second thing that's changed? Cam himself is quelling a lot of my concerns about his health. Don't forget, this is a guy that's been nursing foot injuries, shoulder injuries, and that shoulder injury was to his

throwing shoulder, folks. Cam looks to be healthy and he's motivated. And if he's able to give the Patriots that type of productivity on a consistent basis this year, then reports of this team's demise have been greatly exaggerated. So now that Cam is officially in the fold here in New England, we wait to see what this union will look like on the field when training camp opens in a couple of weeks, and also as preseason and even the regular season commence. And while there are still a lot of questions to be answered, one thing that we do

know is it'll be pretty easy to find Newton on the field this year. He'll be wearing his old familiar number. And for anyone that has seen the Disney movie The Game Plan starring Dwayne the Rock Johnson, much like his character in that movie, Joe Kingman, Cam Newton will be number one on the field and number one in your heart. As the Patriots also made official on Wednesday that the number one jersey would be going to Cam Newton. Now don't forget folks, he wore that number in Carolina after joining the Panthers, but there was some speculation that Cam might have gone back to two, which he wore in college at Auburn. The only reason he switched to one in the pros is because when he was drafted by the

Panthers, incumbent starter Jimmy Claussen was already wearing number two, so Newton switched to one. Now, no one on the Patriots roster, except for Pat Patriot, the team's mascot, has worn that number in the Bill Belichick era. Cam is only the fourth Patriots player in history to get it, and the three who wore number one before him were all kickers. Tony Franklin, Eric Schubert, John Smith. But the fact that Newton will be wearing number one gives him a much greater sense of professional continuity. And might it be a sign that the Patriots see him as their quarterback one?

Well, folks, only time will tell. And in just a moment, Tanya Rae Fox will join me here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And I will seek her opinion on whether or not Cam Newton should be expected to play as a quarterback one this year. We'll also talk some Julian Edelman, some NFL COVID-19 regulations,

and whether the New England Patriots are now primed to repeat as AFC East champions. But first, folks, the weekend is upon us, and even though the country is slowly starting to open up again, we still encourage you to maintain your social distancing. And one of the best ways to get out of the house and enjoy yourself, but still maintain that level of social distance, is taking a ride in your ride. And folks, the best way, bar none, to keep your ride looking and running as best as it possibly can is by visiting my good friends over at rockauto.com. Whether you're a professional mechanic or a do-it-yourselfer like me, RockAuto.com's prices are the same for everybody, and they're reliably low.

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Patriots fans, a new era is dawning in Foxborough. And you've heard me describe it as a Newton era. And I promise, enough with the dad jokes, folks. Let's talk Patriots football. And to close out the week here on Locked on Patriots, we needed a guest that is the best at providing spot-on insight with razor-sharp wit. And folks, I am proud and happy to say that I am joined today by that very guest. You know her great work from platforms such as USA Today, NFL Network, and NBC Sports Boston, just to name a few.

But she is currently doing amazing work for FS1 and her podcast, The Almost Shameless Podcast, is a phenomenal listen. I wholeheartedly recommend it. And while we have some time on our hands coming this weekend, I implore you to share my curiosity, folks. Where is this lady's Twitter verification? I'm not asking for a friend. I'm asking for me. The

incomparable Tanya Ray Fox is back here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Thank you so much for taking the time out and joining me today, my friend. Of course. As always, it's a pleasure. As always, it's the best way to start my weekend. I think your listeners know

by now that I have Fridays off because I work Sunday through Thursday as any good football person does. You do it year round. You make sure that that schedule is, you know, really in your system. So this is my, you know, I kick off my weekend talking to you on Fridays. It's the best way to do it. And I'm really, really excited. It's been a little bit since I've been on. So all these topics are fresh for you and I. They truly are. I kick off today's episode thinking that this is like Fox and Fridays. It really is. It's a real great synergy that we have going here. And all kidding aside, anytime we can get together, share the microphone, talk's my honor it's my privilege and i'm psyched that you're here today and again folks it's the

weekend get the hashtag viral hashtag verify trf it's the right thing it's the just thing we want it on that wall we need it on that wall it needs to happen folks now seriously i'm not just saying that because tanya is a good friend of mine. I'm saying it's simply because she deserves it. The coverage she provides when it comes to Patriots football, NFL football, all over the gamut, it's worthy and it definitely needs to happen. So, Jack, while you're out there thinking about the upgrades that need to be made to Twitter, I know you're talking edit buttons and whatnot. Get this lady verified. She deserves it. But I know, Jack, I mean, I've been trying to appeal to him for so long. It's just not getting to the top, apparently.

But, you know, we're if anybody's going to get it done, it's you, Mike. We're going to get it done. That is my crusade. It is a labor of love. And I will continue it. I promise you, my friend. But you did hint that it's been a while since your last appearance here on the lockdown patriots podcast and a lot has transpired here in patriots nation since your last friday appearance the patriots have a new option of quarterback my friend and it's a good one uh

cam newton is officially in the foxborough fold he looks to be making himself right at home with the videos that we've seen have been working out with Mohamed Sanu. Yesterday, some impressive video of workouts with Nikhil Harry. And I've been saying for the last week or so here on the pod, since news broke about Cam signing in New England, I think he's playing with a little chip on his shoulder this year. And we hear that all the time in New England. Let's face it, who's better than Bill Belichick at being able to motivate guys to play with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder. But I think Cam comes in here, regardless of what Bill Belichick does, with a chip on his shoulder. This is a former 2015 NFL MVP that essentially had to settle for a below-market value. And I think I'm being generous when I say that. Tanya, when you look

at Cam, you look at his fit in New England, first of all, and then you look at the motivation he seems to be bringing in. What does this do for the Patriots as a team on the field? And what does it do for the expectations nationwide? Because we've seen them change here over the course of the last couple of weeks. Yeah, well, in terms of that second part, the nationwide expectations, it, it, it changes them entirely as it should, because as an NFL community, we judge teams quarterback down, you know, coach and quarterback down, but the quarterback is the most important player in, in all of American team sports. You know, they really dictate so much about the identity of his team and their

feelings. And so when you go from an unknown, like Jarrett Stidham, who again, we don't, we know so little about him that it's hard to judge where the ceiling would be with someone like him. We go from that to, like you said, a former MVP, a former Super Bowl contender. This guy, I mean, Cam Newton isn't the kind of guy who succeeded a little bit in the NFL. We've seen bursts of brilliance, but we've also, he has been the best rushing quarterback we've ever seen. Okay. the best rushing quarterback we've ever seen. He's also an exceptional passer compared to other running quarterbacks.

He's by far the best passer of anybody who's been a prolific runner. He has a body of work that is established that raises the expectation. Yes, is he coming off of injury? Yes, he is. At one point, Tom Brady he coming off of injury? Yes, he is. At one point, Tom Brady was coming off of injury. At one point, you know, at points, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers have been coming off of injury. A lot of really great quarterbacks have come off of injury. And we've had to kind of see, hey, as are they at 90% there? Are they at 100%? He's, you know, he's in his early 30s, which right now,

in this era of quarterback, is still in quarterback prime. So, every single part of that means the Patriots' expectations have been elevated entirely. In terms of what it does for their team, listen, I mean, if you've been watching, you know, the dynamics between Belichick and McDaniels and the offense over the last couple of years, I think we've all, you know, as NFL analysts and fans and watchers of the game have noticed that the offense got a tiny bit stale. And part of that is because there was health issues on the wide receiver front. They lost Gronk. And when they had Gronk in that final year, he was dealing with extreme health issues. You know, Tom Brady was getting a little antsy with his relationship to offensive decision-making and things like that. And then they're sitting there watching guys like Andy Reid

and Kyle Shanahan really go 100% with their scheming. I mean, the matchup we saw for offensive play calling in the Super Bowl last year was as good as we've seen. And if you don't think McDaniels and Belichick were, like, itching to get their hands on somebody that they could do new stuff with, that they could really integrate the RPOs, that they could really start using the two tight end sets and things kind of stuff that the 49ers were doing last year with Kittle and Mostert and these guys, the way that they were able to like team game

to game is what they like to do. And now all of a sudden they have the chance to potentially do that with a guy who has been getting more and more accurate as a passer his entire career and is the greatest red zone threat on the ground that we've seen in the 21st century so yeah without a pretty big deal yeah without question i think you absolutely hit the nail right on the head when it comes to this and look there were a lot of rumblings that the patriots wanted to incorporate more of the RPOs into their game plan simply when they were thinking about Jared Stidham

being their primary option at quarterback. When you look at what Cam Newton can do, he is definitely more prolific at being able to roll out, alleviate the pressure in the pocket, make his reads, make the throws easier, and then find that option to run if nothing else is there. I think the Patriots are still going to employ the pass as a big primary part of their offense. A lot of people I've seen, oh, well, they're going to go away from that. They're just going to be a complete running team, and Cam's just going to take off. And Cam's not coming here to be one-dimensional, folks. And I think, Tanya, you put that perfectly.

And I'm so glad that you provided that perspective because I hear that feedback a lot. And quite honestly, it makes me raise my eyebrow and say, I don't think people have been watching Cam Newton nearly as much as they need to. This is a guy that can throw the deep ball. He's a very adept passer. I don't think he gets enough credit for that because of the prolific nature that he brings to the table when it comes to running the football. But I think this was a great signing for the Patriots. It was a signing that I'll admit, when I first heard it, when I first thought about the possibility, I didn't think the Patriots would do it. First of all, I thought Cam was going to be way out of their price range.

That, to me, is one of the big keys and the big reasons why he's here in Foxborough is because they were able to fit it under the cap and they were able to get him at a phenomenal price. But the second part of it was I believe they were able to fit it under the cap, and they were able to get him at a phenomenal price. But the second part of it was, I believe they were bought in to what Jarrett Stidham could do. I don't necessarily think Cam coming in here is an indictment on Jarrett. I think they saw an opportunity under the price, and for lack of a better term, Tanya,

I think they saw an option that has a lot of NFL-ready experience. Bringing him in here gives him the opportunity to showcase his talent. Worst case scenario, if Cam comes in and is not ready or is more beat up than they thought he was when it comes to a health standpoint, then they're on the hook for only a year. But I think this could be a long-term option for them at quarterback if Cam comes in and proves what it looks like he's able to do and again bringing it back full circle those videos that we've seen with muhammad and with uh nikhil are very impressive and i think patriots fans are rightfully excited by what they see and i think this could be an interesting opportunity for them staying on that subject

for just a moment but sort of an offshoot and i'll explain what I mean by that in a minute, my friend. One of Cam's most prolific targets to me this year is still going to continue to be Julian Edelman. Despite some wayward hot takers out there that seem to believe that he's suddenly going to become irrelevant here in the post-Tom Brady era, I think he's still a vital part of this offense. Cam knows how to use slot receivers very well, and I think he's going to develop a great relationship with Julian. But if we're being honest, Julian has been in the headlines for the last couple of days for much different reasons. And to me, I think it's showing an emergence of him as a potential leader of this team off the field as well. Earlier this week, we saw Julian make an attempt to steer the sports world in the right direction

with his response and offer to Deshaun Jackson. And those were on the heels of his controversial post this week. And I can't mince words here, folks. They were anti-Semitic in nature, without any question. But instead of shouting down Jackson and his message, and we saw a lot of people do that, Edelman extended an olive branch to him. He offered to accompany Jackson to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C.

to help give the receivers some perspective on this. And by Julian's own account, he's spoken to Deshaun, and it looks like a positive outcome may emerge from this. Tanya, the impact of this type of dialogue is far greater than anything we would ever see on a football field. I think we can both agree on that. And that's the main priority here. But on a show like this, we have to look at the football implications of everything.

In your opinion, does this signal a change in Julian's role on this team as a unifying and vocal force from an emotional standpoint? And do you believe that can translate to his role as an on-field leader this year? I think what it signifies is his emergence as a leader more in public. Edelman has been a pretty strong locker room presence for a long time in New England, and we see little snippets of it, of him riling the guys up on the sideline and really giving them, you know, their, their little rah-rah speeches and stuff. But there's also the quiet moments where you hear, you know,

you hear him talk about handling the pressure of big games and taking some of the younger players when they go on those deep playoff runs. And he's been a resource and an ally for guys in those situations. And I think that what happened with his suspension and him having to try to come back was that role that he had started to take on and build a little bit of momentum, it got sort of stuck in its tracks. And he's been rebuilding it since he came back. Now Tom Brady is gone. He is, you know, one of, I mean, it's him and Matthew Slater that have

been around the longest at this point. So he is the guy in that locker room. It's him and Matt Slater and Devin McCourty. And I absolutely think it signals his, his intention to take that role and elevate it at a time where social justice is at its highest importance to these players. He, he has seen his teammates, Devin and Jason McCourty, take that role on for Black Lives Matter and for criminal justice reform for years. They are considered two of the most vocal voices in the league on that front. And Julian saw the opportunity to speak for on something he could, something he could speak to and use that platform. And, you know, I know, you know, through my, you know, statements on Twitter and things like that, how much I believe that when you are in a position where you have these players in the locker room, your brothers, these are people that you depend on and rely on day in

and day out, not just for friendship, not just to win games, not just as colleagues, but as people who teach you about the world. You know, you're a white man in a room full of 75% black players. You learn about those people. You learn about their experiences. You learn about what they come from and what they believe in. And if you're a decent person, the respect and the empathy for that comes with it. You know, if you're an open-minded person, that is what comes with it. And the willingness to share who you are and what matters to you is how you educate people. You don't sit them down and, you know, point, you know, point to a whiteboard and say, this is how you don't, this is how to not be anti-Semitic. You share your story, you share who you are as a

person, and you connect on that level. And that's why what Julian is doing and his approach to reaching out to Deshaun Jackson is so important, because that is what we want in our own lives, is for people who are friends and colleagues who respect us to come and say, hey, I'd really love to have a supportive, open dialogue about this so that we can grow because what you're doing is harmful and here's why. And that is all we can ask right now of each other. So not only do I think it's a growth for Julian as a person and do I think it's incredibly important for someone like Deshaun to have someone like Julian Edelman and someone like Mitchell Schwartz and the very few Jewish men in the league. Not only do I think it's important that he have them to listen to, but yeah, this is a signal to the Patriots that this is somebody who is willing to take the next step as their evolution of a person to be bigger than just who they are on the football field. And when you do that, it actually makes what you do on the football field, it really solidifies

that camaraderie, you know? So I'm really impressed. And to your point about Julian's role on the offense, I agree with you that, I mean, I don't think he's going to have the type of seasons that he's had in the recent past with Tom Brady, but I absolutely think he will be important to the receiving game. It's only because, as you said, slot receivers right now in the NFL are as important as ever. I mean, they are, like, this is kind of, you don't have a successful team if you don't have a successful slot receiver.

I don't look around and see very much of that in the league these days. And he is right now still one of the best in the league. If he's healthy, he's still one of the best in the league. He's got it. So he will be a huge help to Cam Newton. And now Cam can look at him and say, this is a man with values and the ability to have open dialogue. What more could you ask for? You can't. There is nothing more that you could ask for. And so many

eloquent points that you made there, my friend. First of all, with regard to your platform on social justice and the platform of so many throughout this country, I could not echo your points more. I could not admire them more. And I could not appreciate you more for using your platform to be able to further a cause that we all believe so strongly in. So kudos to you, my friend, and heartfelt thanks to you for doing what you do. And I know you're echoing the statements of so many, and we need more voices like that to come together and bring about the change we all wish to see in the world. I think Julian's comments were that, and I about the change we all wish to see in the world. I think Julian's comments were that. And I agree with you when it comes to that.

One of the favorite quotes that I like to use a lot here on Locked On Patriots is from the American president, where, you know, Andrew Shepard as president, Michael Douglas says, you know, they don't drink the sand because they, you know, are thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference. When you have the responsibility of a platform and you're able to use it to further the good of humanity, I think that's something that needs to be said more. I think it's something that needs to be cultivated more. I think in a lot of ways what Julian did is that he's stepping up, using his platform of leadership to be able say, this is what we need to do as a culture. It's what we need to do as as Americans across the board using an NFL platform to be able to do that. It's something that a lot of people will respond to. And you're seeing a lot of people respond to it in kind.

So I agree with you on Julian's comments. I think it's a major step forward for him as a man, as an emotional leader of this team. I'm glad you mentioned that on the field, he has been a vocal leader on the field and in the locker room. That's something that I don't think a lot of people really understood about Julian. Maybe didn't see it because his platform was always lesser than Tom Brady's. And rightfully so, folks. I mean, you know, Tom held a special pantheon in the hearts of most Patriots fans, and in a lot of ways he always will. But Julian always had that platform.

I think now his name is illuminated a little bit more because there isn't that Tom Brady mega superstar here any longer. I mean, albeit I know Cam Newton is in town now, but in terms of a longevity and in terms of the contributions that these guys have made, Julian Edelman now absorbs that a little bit more. I think he realizes that there are more eyes on him. There is a little bit more light on his star, so to speak, and he can use that platform to be able to do great things

and take some of the pressure off a lot of the younger guys that might not be ready to ascend to that level yet. He, Matthew Slater, Devin McCourty, your guys that you mentioned that will shoulder that load this year. And I was proud to see Julian step up and take that because to me that signifies a maturity in him as well to utilize his platform for something great. So players respond to leadership and hopefully they will on the field. But Tanya, we've talked a lot about hypotheticals when it comes to the Patriots this year, but you're only as good as how you play on the field. And the NFL is assuring fans that play will take place on time. But the biggest question to me is how long will this last? In just a moment, folks, Tanya Rae Fox and I will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic might affect the longevity of the 2020 NFL season. And my good friend will tell you, as only she can, whether she believes the Patriots might be back in the saddle again when it comes to divisional supremacy.

More with Tonya Rae Fox when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Patriots fans, I'm honored as always to be joined by my friend Tanya Ray Fox of FS1 and the Almost Shameless podcast. And Tanya, trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is one of the most pressing concerns in the country right now, without question. And it is in professional sports as well. And over the past couple of days, we've seen the NFL issuing some proposals. And folks, I stress these actually aren't set in stone just yet, but they're close to it. And the one that has everybody talking is that the NFL teams are going to be forbidden from postgame interactions within six feet of each other. And jersey exchanges between players will be prohibited during the 2020 season. And we've seen, I think, a collective eye roll on behalf of social media

and NFL Twitter. Basically, what this does or what this signified to me is that lining up across from one another, contact, hitting, inevitable expulsion from physical exertion, which is my, you know, 10 cent, which is my 50 cent way of saying, folks, they're going to sweat on each other. They're going to breathe on each other. That seems to be OK for about three hours. But giving a fist bump or swapping jerseys with another player postgame is not going to be OK. And yeah, folks, I don't I don't get it either, but I might be missing something. Tanya, contact like this that takes place in the NFL is inherently unsafe from a COVID-19 perspective. We all know that. But does the NFL issuing this type of restriction instill any pessimism in you

about the potential longevity of this NFL season? And I guess the real question is here is, should it? Listen, I am pessimistic about the longevity of every sports season for team sports in America right now. And it's not because I don't think that I don't I do genuinely think that these leagues are doing as good as they can, considering nobody's handled this very well across the country. This is not like there's a bunch of examples of people who really nailed it. You know, like, I mean, Massachusetts is an extreme exception nationwide in terms of their ability to really even get the numbers down to the point where they have. So I look at the NBA and the struggles that they've had. Look at the MLB and struggles that they've had. We look at the MLB and the struggles they've had.

Major League Soccer has already had to cancel games and had teams pull out of their tournament. DWNBA has had a big problem with COVID numbers rising. And the NFL, we know, is going to push this until they can no longer push this. Let's not act like we don't know how the NFL operates. They are not giving up their season without a damn good fight so let's see let's look at it in the in the most realistic terms possible we know how the nfl operates okay they're going to push this okay well within that framework you say okay the players know the risk they're taking by playing a full contact sport game in the middle of a pandemic they do okay so how do we at least at the very least mitigate some level of spreading that virus beyond the actual gridiron do we can is it reasonable for us to make coaches wear masks?

Probably not. They're constantly communicating. It's a lot, you know, well, I guess it won't be loud in there if there's not fans. We still don't know about that. But there is, I don't want to be a jerk because I know that like there's so much of this that is totally, seems totally ridiculous considering they're going to be breathing and spitting and bleeding and all that stuff on each other but if you can mitigate the spread beyond the football field to the other sideline personnel and front office people and

you know security and the other people you know the players aren't the only people involved in these seasons and they aren't the only people involved in making football happen and while they are taking the largest risk they are you know by participating in the season they they know what they're doing i mean jj watt has point blank said he's not wearing a full face mask while he plays they all i think if you play the season you know all right these are the risks we're taking just what they're doing. I mean, JJ Watt has point blank said, he's not wearing a full face mask while he plays. They all, I think if you play the season, you know, all right, these are the risks we're taking just like the NBA, just like the MLB, that people who are separating themselves from their families for months.

I don't, I'm not saying whether that is right or wrong. I'm not saying I would be against the NFL season shutting down if that was going to save lives. I don't, if that were, if it's, if it's going to save lives to shut don't, if that were, if it's going to save lives to shut down sports, shut down sports. Okay. But I can't make that call. And I'm operating under the assumption that these sports are going to move forward regardless of what we think. So under those parameters, if you have even little bits of the game and in these little moments where normally there might be closer interaction that you take away,

could you be saving a life? Yeah, you could be. And is it worth it? I think it is. So while it does seem a little contradictory, and in many ways it may be, we've learned that even these little things, wearing a mask to CVS, you know, wearing a mask in the tunnel when the players are coming through, maybe that makes a difference. And if it does, it's worth it. If they can do better, I hope they do. I hope they're continuing right now. I hope there's people in a conference room somewhere saying, how do we do better? How do we save more lives? How do we keep more people healthy and safe while playing a full contact sport? I hope there's someone doing that. But in the meantime, I do think that there is merit to trying. That is such a great perspective. And I'll be honest with you, the cynic in me didn't really grasp that until I listened to your explanation. And it's not necessarily, folks, all about the

players on the field. And I know that's our primary focus. Anybody that covers football, anybody that is a fan of pro football, your essential bread and butter, for lack of a better term, is watching these athletes complete on the field. And, of course, the coaching staff the games, on the sidelines, on the field when there's postgame wrap-up, whether it be cameramen or whether it be people from the press or whether it be agents for the referees or anybody. There's a lot of interaction. So if you can limit that type and anything that's going to be done to limit interaction, I guess is a good thing. And so in a lot of ways, folks, I think the NFL is trying their best to make the best of a terrible situation, an inherently terrible situation, because you know that any type of professional contact when it comes to a sports matter is going to be risky. I don't think there's anybody that will argue that point. And this is true of any

of the major professional sports, whether it be hockey, whether it be Major League Baseball, to be risky. I don't think there's anybody that will argue that point. And this is true of any of the major professional sports, whether it be hockey, whether it be major league baseball, whether it be basketball or football, any type of contact between, you know, athletes that are exerting themselves is going to be inherently risky. If they can take steps to make it a little safer, either post-game, pre-game, however they're going to do it, I guess in a lot of ways what we should do is look at that and say they're doing the best they can at this point, and hopefully we'll be able to move forward, and hopefully it'll help to contain it a little bit. So thank you for adding that perspective, my friend, because I think it's a good point that not a lot of people

are making. And again, folks, that's the reason why we have Tanya on the show here. Perspective that you can only find here on the pod, but perspective that you can only find by following her because she's always spot on and always candid and very honest. And that's something I admire from you. And that leads me very nicely into my final question for you today. I need some of that candor and honesty to take us into the next week here on Locked On Patriots, Tanya. The Patriots have always been saddled with the caveat when it comes to the AFC East,

and we hear it all the time. They win the division because it's an easy division. And quite honestly, for about 20 years now, that's made me sick. It's a lazy argument because I don't believe there is really a such thing as an easy divisional game. These teams know each other so well, and those games just take on an inherent level of difficulty that, to me, is even greater than some of these dream matchups between inter-conference and intra-divisional opponents.

But since Tom Brady left Tanya, people seem ready to just hand away the division title. And even though I have to admit that teams like Buffalo, Miami, even the Jets have improved over the offseason, the addition of Cam Newton should push people to at least rethink that assessment, at least in my opinion. Next week here on the pod, I and my AFC East counterparts are going to be holding our divisional crossovers. And in a selfish way, I'd kind of like to rouse the intellect of our listening base, if you will. In your estimation, do you believe this division is now up for grabs, or does the road to success still run through Foxborough, especially with Cam Newton coming to town?

I think that when it comes to the AFC East, we have a really difficult time assessing the three other teams because the Patriots have been dominant in the division for so long. And I agree with your assessment that the ASB East being extremely easy and giving the Patriots a free ride is a little bit of a false narrative. That's a conversation for another time. But it is kind of hard because there's always, the Patriots have always been there kind of as an excuse for those teams right like they haven't made the excuse but everybody else has so when it comes to us you know the media who've been covering the Patriots as long as we have it's like all right well we've never really seen any of these teams we've seen little bursts from these

teams the Buffalo Bills have made the you made the playoffs a couple times in the last couple years. We've seen the Jets go to AFC championship games. We saw the Dolphins do what they did in 2008. But it's always been this one individual good season for one of these teams. And so I look at it right now and I say, okay, the Dolphins are kind of an unknown. They have a really good coach. We know that. They have a young up-and-coming quarterback and a good veteran quarterback that I think that they could come together and put together a decent season. They're still an unknown. If you act like you know what the Dolphins are going to look like in 2020,

you're lying. You're just lying. The end of their season last year looked completely different from the beginning of it. They've overhauled their entire, their entire roster. They've lost Chad O'Shea. And so it's going to be a totally different look for them. Okay. So take them as a wild card. I'm never going to put a wild card over Bill Belichick, even if he had Garrett Stidham. I'm not, I'm not taking an unknown Dolphins team and saying that they're going to be better than a Bill Belichick team that just went 12-4 last year and has one of the best defenses in the league.

Okay, so let's move on to the Jets. I'm not sold on Adam Gates being able to drink his coffee without spilling it, let alone winning an entire AFC East division. He hasn't done it before. He's with the Dolphins this year. Now Sam Darnold seems to sort of have stalled out a little bit in his development. I think he has the ability to be a really good, solid NFL quarterback, but man, I don't, I don't think Adam Gates can get the job done. I just don't. And, and I think their GM has the right idea.

I think that they have a good mix of players on their team, but it starts with that guy in the locker room and your leader, and it's just hard for me to imagine. So then you go up to the Buffalo Bills and you see really good coaching and a really solid roster that's made, you know, playoff runs. And then you look and their quarterback is Josh Allen. And, man, the Patriots have Cam Newton. The Patriots have the quarterback that Josh Allen is just a poor man's poor man's Cam Newton. The Patriots have the quarterback that the Buffalo Bills wish Josh Allen was.

Okay, so now we look at Cam Newton. What did I say earlier in the podcast? The quarterback and the coach, you judge a team from there, down. We know they have the best coach in the NFL, not just in the division. And now they have Cam Newton, who is easily, no questions asked, the best quarterback in the division based on what we know. Of course, I don't know what Tua is going to turn into, but we judge what we know. We don't deal in hypotheticals. I know the internet loves to deal in hypotheticals, but I know what I know. And I know Cam Newton is the best quarterback in this division right now in 2018 the last time he was healthy he had a he had eight games that season where he posted a

pass rating of 101 or more eight games that season so I I don't know what people think when they think about Cam Newton and why they think he's out of his prime, but that was how good he was the last time he got hurt. The other quarterbacks that had eight games with 101 passer rating that season were Andrew Luck, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott. I don't think anybody's worried about how those guys are going to play this season. Okay? He had a seven-game stretch from October to November that season

where he completed 72% of his passes for 1,800 yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions. His passer rating was 109.7, and he also rushed for 252 yards and a touchdown. In a seven-game stretch from October to November, the heart of this season. This was less than two years ago, guys. If he's even 90% of that, they have the best quarterback in the division. They have the most diversity with their play calling. They have the guy who has a chip on his shoulder.

He comes in with that Tom Brady attitude, like, you don't want to believe in me? I will show you. If you are not betting on the Patriots to win the AFC East, you are just being difficult. Of course they should win this division. It is not a question. Based on everything we know right now, they are the best team. They are the best defense.

They have the best quarterback. And they have the best coach. If you can look at the entirety of that and say, well, I don't know there's also the bills then i don't i don't know how to talk to you and honestly of riding that wave of positivity folks into ultimate divisional crossover next week i couldn't have said it better myself tanya that was perfect that's exactly what i was looking for and if you thought i was gonna let you go today without giving you kudos on the Adam Gates not being able to drink coffee without spilling a comment, you got another thing coming, folks. That may have been my favorite moment of the pod today. And folks, that was brilliant. That was great. And I thank you for that. But I do agree with

you when it comes to the Patriots and their productivity and how the addition of someone like Cam Newton can change the complexity. I'm still very high on the Buffalo Bills. I'm not going to quite tip my hand, folks, just yet as to how I'm going to rule on this. But tune in next week. It'll be definitely interesting as I'm joined by Joe Marino, Kyle Krabs, and John Buchko, and we break down the AFC East. But, Tanya, it's always my honor to have you as my guest here on the pod,

and I thank you for lending your wisdom and counsel on a plethora of subjects today. Before I let you go, my friend, please let our listeners know where they may soon find your great work once again. And I'd be remiss if I didn't give a big thanks and shout out to your mom, who I know is listening. I can't thank her enough for her support either. The floor is yours, my friend. Please enlighten our listeners as to where they can hear and absorb more wisdom and counsel from Tanya Ray Fox. Well, as always, I'm always on Twitter at Tanya Ray Fox and Instagram. I'm always trying to update people on there. I have also, I've been on a hiatus the last couple months from my podcast.

However, we are going to start podcasting again, going to start putting that back into the mix. And I am having an Instagram live reunion with my very close friend and former podcast partner and sort of colleague in life, Courtney Fallon. We're going to be doing a Fox and Fallon Instagram live reunion. And she's got some exciting things that are coming up as well. So just a couple of Boston sports girls just kind of killing it. And we're going to be doing some NFL topics as we do. So that'll be fun. I'm also going to start writing some columns back on my own, in my own voice, in my own space. I'm going to be doing that on Medium.

So you'll see some NFL columns coming up at the end of the summer once we have more to talk about. Keep an eye out for all of that. There's a lot going on. Definitely, folks. As I like to say, keep a sharp eye out for all of that because Tanya's content, whether it be podcasting, written content, even some of the tweets that she drops on Twitter, always informative, always spot on, and you can always take them to the bank. I always do.

I admire her as a friend, but I admire her even more as a colleague for the productivity and just the prowess that she brings to the table. I look forward to all of that. Tanya, thank you again so much for joining me today. Stay safe, stay well. We look forward to having you join us again here to close out the week eventually on some week coming up very shortly here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. Stay safe and

stay well, my friend. Thanks again. Thank you, Mike. You know I'll be back whenever you want me and we will be talking soon no matter what. Everybody stay safe and healthy out there. Absolutely. You as well, my friend. Thank you again. And so, Patriots fans, we put a bow on the week that was here on the Locked On Patriots podcast.

And as I alluded to during my chat with Tonya Rae Fox, next week, starting Monday, right here on the Locked On Patriots podcast, we kick off yet another ultimate divisional crossover featuring my esteemed colleagues here at the Locked On Podcast Network. Joe Marino, host of Locked On Bills. John Buchko, host of Locked On Jets, Kyle Krebs, host of Locked On Dolphins, and of course, yours truly of Locked On Patriots. Do any of us, including myself, agree with Tanya's assessment that the road to the AFC East divisional title still runs through Foxborough? Well, for the answer to that question and so much more when it comes to all four teams

in the AFC East, make sure that you do not miss a single episode of Locked On Patriots. The best way to do that is to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, follow us on Spotify, download us wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, you can always listen to Locked On Patriots right on your very own smart device. Just ask it to play the latest episode of Locked On Patriots. And if you've enjoyed today's episode, now tell your smart device to play the most recent episode of Locked On Fantasy Football. Once again, folks, I am Mike DeBate.

I thank Tanya Rae Fox for her time, her insight, and her appearance today. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Stay safe. Stay well. Continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for staying locked into Locked On, Patriots. Stay safe. Stay well. Continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great weekend, everyone.