Cincinnati Bengals Announce Payton Thorne Decision Ahead of Season Opener

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Grant Bricker | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 5:32 PM ET

Former Auburn Tigers quarterback Payton Thorne went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft after a five-year college football career.

He started his college career with the Michigan State Spartans in 2020, where he played until 2022. Thorne transferred to Auburn in 2023 and was the starter for both his seasons on The Plains.

As a whole, he accounted for 10,961 passing yards, 86 touchdowns and 43 interceptions. After not being selected, he landed with the Cincinnati Bengals and tried to make their roster.

On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Thorne was one of the 11 players waived by the Bengals.

While Thorne helped lead Auburn to a bowl game in 2023, the Tigers have not had a winning season since 2020. Even then, Auburn still went 6-5, narrowly avoiding finishing even.

Atlanta radio host John Michaels of "680 The Fan" threw some shade at Auburn, saying that the Tigers wished they were the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech is entering year three under head coach Brent Key and has two bowl game appearances.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the results have not come together on the field. However, recruiting has been consistent under head coach Hugh Freeze.

The Tigers had top-10 classes in 2024 and 2025, and are currently ranked No. 22 overall for the 2026 cycle on On3 Sports.

Auburn's most recent commitment was No. 1 safety Bralan Womack, who was predicted to commit to the Tigers by Rivals' Steve Wiltfong.

Time will tell if Freeze can turn his recruits into wins.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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