Auburn football announces plans to officially retire Cam Newton's jersey number
AUBURN — Cam Newton, one of the most prolific college quarterbacks in the history of the sport, will have his No. 2 jersey retired by Auburn football, the program announced Monday.
Auburn athletic director John Cohen broke the news to Newton, in a video the program posted to social media Monday morning. The retirement ceremony will take place on Oct. 11, the day of the Tigers' contest against Georgia, at Jordan-Hare Stadium, according to a press release.
"Auburn will always be home to me,' Newton said in a release. '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."
When retired, Newton will be the fourth player in program history to have his number shelved, joining Pat Sullivan (No. 7), Bo Jackson (No. 34) and Terry Beasley (No. 88). Newton was technically one of the last two players to wear No. 2 at Auburn, as he and cornerback Aairon Savage both wore the same number for the 2010 season. No Auburn player has worn it since.
A consensus first team All-American, Newton spent one season on the Plains and it ended with the 2010 BCS National Championship.
Newton racked up more than just a Heisman Trophy, also winning the Davey O'Brien, Manning, Maxwell and Walter Camp awards, as he became the third FBS player to ever record 20 passing and rushing touchdowns in a single season. His 2010 was packed with high notes for Auburn, including its first SEC championship in six seasons, and its last Iron Bowl victory in Tuscaloosa.
Following Newton's phenomenal season on the Plains, he was selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft. Newton spent 11 seasons in the NFL, 10 of which were with Carolina. He was named both the Offensive Rookie of the Year (2011) and MVP (2015) as a Panther. He also led the franchise to Super Bowl 50, where Carolina lost 24-10 to the Denver Broncos, among four postseason appearances and three division titles.
Newton holds the Carolina franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns. His 75 rushing touchdowns are the most by a quarterback in NFL history.
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter. To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football announces plans to retire Cam Newton's jersey number
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