Cam Newton sends dismissive message on Brock Purdy even after NFC title win

Cam Newton doesn't plan on giving San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy -- who just went for 267 passing yards and a touchdown in an NFC Championship Game-winning effort on January 28 against the Detroit Lions to punch the Niners' ticket to Super Bowl LVIII -- as much credit for his team's success as nearly every other pundit is.

Newton named Purdy the 10th-best player on the team and refused to give the former Iowa State star the label "game-changer."

“I’ve never said Brock Purdy was trash; what I did say is that Brock Purdy is a game manager.” Newton said on his "4th & 1" podcast (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area). “That’s not hate, that’s just what I feel to be facts. But I still reserve the right to say this: to be labeled a game changer, Brock Purdy has to be the best player on the offensive side of the ball. And that’s not the case.”

Newton complimented the depth of the Niners in an attempt to explain his position on why Purdy isn't a game-changer.

“Man, look, I ain’t recanting s--t, and if you really want to just be honest, if you add in the defensive talent, and you add in the offensive talent, Brock Purdy is the 10th-best player on this team," Newton said. "Ok cool, did he have a great game? Yes! Has he been playing out of his mind? Yes! Is he a quarterback that’s hot? Yes! But he’s still the 10th-best player on his team.”

Analyst: Cam Newton would trade places with Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, or Tua Tagovailoa

Deadspin's DJ Dunson isn't surprised that Newton has taken shots at the likes of Purdy, NFC Championship runner-up Jared Goff, Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, or Miami Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa.

In fact, Dunson implied it had something to do with jealousy, suggesting Newton would gladly be in any of their shoes if he had the chance.

"Newton recently caught a wave of backlash for classifying Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff and Tua Tagovailoa as game managers," Dunson prefaced on December 14 before saying, "Technically, he didn’t insult them, but when you use that phrase, it’s implied. Returning fire at Newton is a waste of time. For him to throw shade at game managers isn’t surprising.

"If being a game manager is wrong, I don’t want to be right. Almost every quarterback in the league would trade places with these game managers. Hell, Cam Newton still wishes he could be them. All in all, game manager shouldn’t be an insult. It’s a badge of honor."

Is Cam Newton saying what he is because of jealousy? Or are analysts not willing to open up their minds to the idea that just because a team is winning, doesn't mean the QB under center is truly the reason why?