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Cam Newton embarrassed but not surprised by benching in Patriots loss: ‘I’m a realist'

After throwing three picks in 15 passes, Cam Newton wasn’t surprised when Bill Belichick benched him for Jarrett Stidham early in the fourth quarter of a 33-6 game.

“No. I’m a realist, but yet through it all I am coachable,” Newton said on WEEI’s Greg Hill Show Monday. "I didn’t want to put up a [stink]. How bad would that have been? ‘I’m not coming out.’ That would have been embarrassing. [Belichick] came and said, ‘ Stidham is finishing’ and I agreed. That’s what it was.

“For any type of competitor, do you feel embarrassed?