August 21, 2025
The former quarterback has never lost a college game and brought the school a national championship in his only season
Former NFL quarterback and current podcaster Cam Newton will have his Auburn University college number retired during the upcoming football season.
Auburn University has announced that the former Carolina Panthers player will have his number retired at Jordan-Hare Stadium during the Oct. 11 game against the University of Georgia. He will become the fourth Auburn Tigers player to be immortalized by the university. His No. 2 football jersey will join Pat Sullivan (No. 7), Bo Jackson (No. 34), and Terry Beasley (No. 88).
“Auburn will always be home to me,” Newton said in a written statement. “The national championship we won in 2010 was a special moment, and to have my jersey retired alongside legends like Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Terry Beasley is an incredible honor that I’ll cherish forever. War Eagle!”
https://twitter.com/AuburnFootball/status/1957550380792816109
Newton’s number retirement will be the first number retired at Auburn in over 30 years. The last person whose number was immortalized was two-sport phenom Bo Jackson (he played in the NFL and MLB and is the world’s only person to earn All-Star honors in two professional sports leagues), who received his in 1992.
Newton’s storied collegiate career included many accolades and honors, including the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Manning Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and Associated Press National Player of the Year. Those honors took place in 2010 when he led the Tigers to an unbeaten record and national championship, earning him the coveted Heisman Trophy.
“Cam Newton not only led Auburn to a national championship in 2010, but he produced one of the most prolific seasons ever by a college football player,” Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen said. “Retiring Cam’s jersey number is a fitting way to celebrate his lasting impact on Auburn University and Auburn Athletics for all time.”
Newton’s collegiate career only lasted one season. He threw for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns, also scoring a receiving touchdown. He was the first player in SEC (Southeastern Conference Football) history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.
Those stats led to him being the No. 1 draft pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Panthers. Newton played 11 seasons in the league, primarily with the Carolina Panthers, spending one season with the New England Patriots. During his first year in the NFL, he was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011. He led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50, while taking home the MVP (Most Valuable Player) Award in 2015, but they fell to the Denver Broncos.
The former quarterback holds the Carolina franchise record for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns. Newton holds the record for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in NFL history with 75.
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