FOXBORO – Following Cam Newton’s second run on Sunday afternoon, the quarterback pick himself up off the turf and retrieved the football. Immediately, Newton handed the ball to David Andrews and encouraged him to spike it.

Following the spike, Newton and other Patriots teammates embraced their center. Sunday’s win marked the first game Andrews has played Since Super Bowl LIII. After missing all of last season due to blood clots in his lungs, the gesture from Newton made for a nice return to football.

“It was awesome. He’s been a great teammate, man,” Andrews said. “You have to love watching that guy play the game. The way he plays it and seeing all the work he puts in. I’m super proud of him. We had some fun out there today.”

Newton said he deliberately gave the ball to Andrews to spike. Newton spent the bulk of last season on the injured reserve and said he felt like he and the center were in similar situations, so after he scored one touchdown and finished with a spike, he decided to give Andrews the same opportunity.

“Dave is a person who was kind of in my boat – a person that’s been out of football,” Newton said. “And for him to enjoy that just as much as I’ve been enjoying just being a witness of how he works, his whole presentation, how he shows up each and every day, how he practices — he was the first person that I saw, so I knew he would enjoy that.”

mdaniels@providencejournal.com

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