In a video published to his YouTube channel on Sunday, free-agent quarterback Cam Newton said he has been vaccinated against COVID-19 and wants to keep playing football.

Newton, 32, was released by the New England Patriots shortly before the season. He had missed three practices because of what the Patriots called a COVID-19 protocol "misunderstanding," although coach Bill Belichick said Newton's vaccination status didn't factor into the decision to release the quarterback.

"Hell yeah I still want to play football," Newton said in Sunday's video. "I still get that urge to go out and perform and do something that I've been doing since I was 7 years old."

The 2015 MVP added that while he has been getting offers from teams, the situation "has to be right."

Newton said he was initially reluctant to get vaccinated because "the side effects weren't beneficial to me." He added that he still believes receiving the vaccine is "a personal decision."