What the Patriots Signing Cam Newton Means for the Chiefs

The New England Patriots instantly returned to contender status by signing Cam Newton to a one-year deal. This gets the team back on track to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs, and other top teams, for the AFC crown.

The Chiefs may have thought the Patriots would be out of the picture with Tom Brady in Tampa. That left the Baltimore Ravens as the only top competition at this point in time. The AFC East also appeared to be wide open, but all that has changed before a season where a new playoff format will only give a first-round bye to the top team in each conference.

The easy road back to the Super Bowl for the Chiefs just got that much more difficult. To be fair, there is no certainty Newton will get back to his old ways. Yet he is a former MVP who is being plugged into a system that hasn't failed for two decades. This will end up being a true test of how important Brady was to the team, and vice versa.

Newton shows up with something to prove. Meanwhile, the Chiefs will try to avoid a Super Bowl hangover and also have to figure out a contract extension for Patrick Mahomes. The two teams are also set to face each other in Week 4, one week after the Chiefs have to take on the Baltimore Ravens on the road.

It is possible Newton and the Patriots can send the Chiefs to a 2-2 record or worse with a win in Week 4. Every game counts with there only being one team receiving a postseason bye and what seemed like a sure victory is no more. The Chiefs now join the Buffalo Bills, among others, as a team that has to keep the Patriots on their radar after it seemed the dynasty was officially over.