Cam Newton or Colin Kaepernick? Newton Cut on Day Before 5-Year Mark of Kap Kneeling

By Scott McDonald On 9/1/21 at 12:19 AM EDT

Sports Cam newton Colin Kaepernick New England Patriots

Wednesday marks the 5-year anniversary of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem at a preseason game. One day before that anniversary, Cam Newton was cut from the New England Patriots as its quarterback.

Newton and Kaepernick were drafted in the same year, and their careers have taken both similar and different paths. Both were at the top of their game. Both took their teams to a Super Bowl. Both were dual-threat quarterbacks and both are household names.

Over the last year, they've been compared to each other for their quarterback prowess. Newton played for the Carolina Panthers for the bulk of his career, but he was released in the summer of 2020. During his free agency, many fans thought Kaepernick should be signed by an NFL team.

Newton landed with the Patriots last offseason while Kaepernick remained unsigned by any team.

Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick — Cam Newton (R) and Colin Kaepernick speak onstage during the 4th Annual Cartoon Network Hall Of Game Awards held at the Barker Hangar on February 15, 2014 in Santa Monica, California. Photo by Tommaso Boddi/WireImage via Getty Images

Newton was cut by the Patriots on Tuesday as they've named rookie Mac Jones from Alabama as its starter next week against the Miami Dolphins.

Wednesday marks the 5-year anniversary of Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality against Black people in America. In the summer of 2020, after nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, people said Kaepernick deserved another shot at the NFL.