Cam Newton Explains What Caused Patriots-Dolphins Postgame Scrap

FOXBORO, Mass. — Television cameras caught a heated Cam Newton after the quarterback led his New England Patriots to a 21-11 Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Newton said Dolphins players were trying to grab at his chain after the game but that he should have known better than to get into it with Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.

“It was a competitive game — on both sides,” Newton said. “You just have to realize who you’re talking to, and just keep everything in the game. I realized I was talking to a person that’s known for doing splits. So, it wasn’t characteristic of myself to keep going back and forth.”

Wilkins is known for doing celebratory splits.

Newton did note that the Patriots “got the thing that was most valuable today, and that’s the win.”

A video showed one of Newton’s chains falling out of his hand as the game clock ticked down. Newton proved that he was still wearing both of his chains over a video conference call after the game, however.

“They were reaching for my chain,” Newton said. “I think that kind of got up under my skin, but throughout it all, man, listen, I don’t want nothing taken away from a great team game that we did have. And I don’t want to be selfish and kind of focus or dwell on that.”