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Former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia criticized New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton’s attire after Sunday’s 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, arguing that the former MVP Newton was playing so horribly that he shouldn’t be dressing flashy.
Newton threw for 98 yards with three interceptions in the loss, which dropped New England to 2-4. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Jarrett Stidham.
Garcia, a studio analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, felt that Newton’s stylish outfit prior to the game didn’t make any sense considering Newton entered the game with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
“You go into this game with two touchdowns, four interceptions, you threw what, three more interceptions?” Garcia began on his rant about Newton. “You get yanked in the second half, there’s nothing good going your way. Why are you dressing like that to bring more attention to yourself? I’d be trying to ask the equipment managers ‘Put me in your jock sock cart and sneak me in the back door and I’ll show up on the field and do the best that I can.'”
NBC Sports Bay Area posted the initial video to Twitter but has since taken it down. Messages made by USA TODAY Sports regarding the initial video have not yet been returned.
On the segment, the studio host responded to Garcia: “This sounds like you’re speaking from too much experience, here.”
“This just goes back to a couple years of just watching this guy and seeing him at the podium, but yet what he’s doing on the field does not translate to being that guy,” Garcia replied.
After Newton was then compared to Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who used to wear fur coats before and after games, Garcia said: “When you predict you’re going to win a Super Bowl and you go out and do it, wear whatever the hell you want.”
Garcia correlating Newton’s attire to poor play drew its own backlash over social media.
Newton, signed this offseason after Tom Brady left for the Buccaneers, has thrown for 969 yards in five games this season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters after the loss that Newton remains the starter despite being benched during the game.
Garcia played 11 NFL seasons, most notably for the San Francisco 49ers where he was a Pro Bowl quarterback three times before retiring from football in 2010.
