Auburn to Retire Newton's No. 2 Jersey

"Auburn will always be home to me,” Newton said. “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!"

Newton’s No. 2 has not been worn since the last second ticked off the clock against Oregon to win the 2011 BCS National Championship, but Auburn is now officially hanging it up for good.

“Congratulations to Cam Newton on his jersey retirement,” head coach Hugh Freeze said at Monday’s press conference. “I think that’s incredible for him and his family, all that he did for this program. I got to visit with him last week, I knew that it was coming and I got to celebrate that with him.”

Along with leading the Tigers to an SEC Championship and their second national title in program history, Newton was also awarded the 2010 Heisman Trophy following Auburn’s perfect 14-0 season. He joins Jackson (1985) and Sullivan (1971) as the only Tigers to claim the highly revered honor.

“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,” 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.” 

After brief stints with the Florida Gators and Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, Newton transferred to Auburn, obviously, where he posted a historic season that will likely be remembered forever in the minds of Tiger fans.

In Newton’s singular season on the Plains,  recorded 2,852 yards and 30 touchdowns through the air while rushing for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also tallied a 20-yard receiving touchdown in the first quarter of Auburn’s 51-31 win over Ole Miss in Oxford.

Newton became the first player in SEC history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season. Consequently, Newton gained consensus All-American honors and won the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, Manning Award, Davey O’Brien Award and was Associated Press National Player of the Year in his lone year with the Tigers. 

After leaving Auburn, Newton played for 11 years in the NFL, spending most of his career with the Carolina Panthers. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2011 and won 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player after leading Carolina to a Super Bowl 50 appearance in 2015. Newton holds the Panthers franchise record in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns, while his 75 rushing touchdowns are the most by any quarterback in NFL history.

In addition to Newton’s jersey retirement ceremony during the Tigers’ clash with Georgia in October, Auburn will also honor Jackson later this fall at the Iron Bowl on Nov. 29 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his 1985 Heisman Trophy winning season.

More From Auburn Tigers on SI