Cam Newton: Replacing Tom Brady on Patriots 'The Elephant in the Room'

Not only does Cam Newton have to prove he can still succeed on the field after injuries limited him the past few seasons, signing with the New England Patriots also means he has to replace a legend in Tom Brady.

Newton referred to filling in for Brady as "the elephant in the room" during a roundtable with Odell Beckham Jr. and others.

"You know who [you're] coming after? I'm like, yeah, great. What he was, what he is, is great...needs no even talking about it," Newton said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Brady was with the Patriots for 20 seasons before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency this offseason. In that time he put together an incredible resume with 14 Pro Bowls and three league MVP awards, plus unparalleled team success that included six Super Bowl titles and four Super Bowl MVP awards.

Any drop-off in 2020 would likely be considered a reflection of the new starting quarterback, whether that is Newton or second-year pro Jarrett Stidham.

On the other hand, Newton noted the positives he can provide New England both physically and mentally next season.

"But one thing about it though: Coach [Josh] McDaniels, you're able to call some stuff that you ain't ever been able to call now," the 31-year-old said.

"You're getting a dog. You're getting one of these ticked-off dogs, too. And I'm looking at the schedule and I'm like 'Who we're playing? That team passed on me! OK, that team passed on me. They could've came and got me.'"

The 6'5", 245-pound Auburn product was released by the Carolina Panthers in March and remained unsigned until agreeing to a one-year deal with the Patriots more than three months later. 

Newton played just two games last season because of a foot injury and was limited by shoulder problems before that, but he's looking to return to his MVP level from 2015 in New England.