History of Cam Newton in Timeline
Cam Newton, nicknamed "Super Cam", is a former NFL quarterback known for his rushing ability. He holds the NFL record for quarterback rushing touchdowns and ranks third in rushing yards. After playing college football for the Florida Gators, he transferred to Auburn, winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in 2011. The Carolina Panthers selected him first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, where he spent the majority of his 11 seasons.
1960: Touchdown Ranking
Since 1960, Cam Newton marked the 14th time in his career in week 3 of 2015 where he notched two-plus touchdown passes and at least one rushing touchdown, third-most in the NFL behind Steve Young (17) and Fran Tarkenton (16).
1971: Pat Sullivan's Touchdown Record
In 1971, Pat Sullivan set the school record for most touchdowns in a single season, which stood until Cam Newton broke it in 2010.
May 11, 1989: Cameron Newton's Birth
On May 11, 1989, Cameron Jerrell Newton was born in Atlanta.
2002: New Primary Starter for the Patriots
Cam Newton being named starting quarterback for the Patriots on September 3, 2020, made him the team's first new primary starter since 2002.
2003: First 3-0 Start
In 2015, Cam Newton helped lead the Panthers to a 3-0 start, the first time they had done so since the 2003 NFL season.
2003: Steve McNair Shared Award
On February 6, 2016, Newton was named NFL MVP. Newton was the second African-American quarterback to receive the honor after Steve McNair in 2003 and the first sole recipient as McNair shared his award with Peyton Manning, who Newton would go on to face in the Super Bowl.
2004: Auburn's Previous SEC Championship
In 2004, prior to Cam Newton leading the team, the Auburn Tigers won their previous SEC Championship.
2004: Lowest completion percentage since 2004
In a Week 12 game against the Miami Dolphins, Newton was benched after completing 5 of 21 passes for 92 yards and two interceptions. His 23.8 completion percentage was the lowest for a quarterback with at least 20 attempts since Joey Harrington in 2004.
2006: NFL Offensive Player of the Week Award
In 2015, Cam Newton was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in a seven-week span. Newton became the NFL's first player to win the award four times in a seven-week span since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.
2007: Committed to University of Florida
In 2007, Cam Newton committed to the University of Florida at the beginning of his senior year, becoming part of the top-rated recruiting class in the country.
2007: Joined Florida Gators football team
In 2007, Cam Newton joined the Florida Gators football team at the University of Florida.
2007: NFC Offensive Player of the Week Awards
In 2015, Cam Newton became the first player to win five NFC Offensive Player of the Week awards in a nine-week span within a season, and his five awards tied for the most in a season in NFL history with Tom Brady, who achieved this in 2007.
November 21, 2008: Arrested on felony charges
On November 21, 2008, Cam Newton was arrested on felony charges of burglary, larceny, and obstruction of justice for allegedly stealing a laptop computer from another student at the University of Florida and was subsequently suspended from the team.
2008: Medical Redshirt Season
During his sophomore season in 2008, Cam Newton sustained an ankle injury in the season opener against Hawaii and took a medical redshirt season.
January 2009: Transferred to Blinn College
In January 2009, Cam Newton transferred to Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, to play football.
September 4, 2010: Auburn Debut
On September 4, 2010, Cam Newton started the first game of Auburn University's season, winning against Arkansas State and accounting for 186 passing yards, 171 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns, earning him SEC Offensive Player of the Week.
November 2010: Faced potential expulsion from the University of Florida
In November 2010, Thayer Evans of Fox Sports reported that Cam Newton faced potential expulsion from the University of Florida for three instances of academic dishonesty, prior to transferring.
November 2010: Recruitment Controversy
In early November 2010, allegations surfaced that Cam Newton's father, Cecil Newton, sought substantial sums of money in return for his son playing for a major college football team, in violation of NCAA rules, during recruitment by Mississippi State University.
December 4, 2010: SEC Championship Victory
On December 4, 2010, Cam Newton led the Auburn Tigers to their first SEC Championship since 2004, defeating South Carolina 56–17, setting an SEC Championship Game record for most points scored and largest margin of victory, and was named the game MVP.
2010: Heisman Trophy Win
In December 2024, Cam Newton attended the Heisman Trophy ceremony for the first time since winning the award in 2010. His absence from previous ceremonies was due to a personal decision stemming from events surrounding his 2010 win.
2010: Best season by a player in NCAA history
Some sportswriters have argued that Cam Newton's 2010 season is the best single season by a player in NCAA history due to his dominance with relatively little talent around him.
January 2011: Newton works out with George Whitfield Jr.
In January 2011, Cam Newton began working out with George Whitfield Jr. in San Diego to prepare for the NFL draft. Whitfield has worked with other quarterbacks such as Ben Roethlisberger and Akili Smith.
April 28, 2011: Newton selected first overall in the NFL draft
On April 28, 2011, Cam Newton was selected first overall in the 2011 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers, making him the first reigning Heisman Trophy winner to go first overall since Carson Palmer in 2003. He was Auburn's fourth No. 1 selection. He was also the fifth player from Blinn College to be drafted and the first to be selected in the first round.
July 29, 2011: Newton signs with the Carolina Panthers
On July 29, 2011, Cam Newton signed a four-year contract worth over $22 million with the Carolina Panthers, which was fully guaranteed. He decided to keep the No. 1 jersey after unsuccessfully negotiating for No. 2. Mike Shula, former head football coach of his college rival Alabama, was his quarterbacks coach.
September 1, 2011: Newton named starting quarterback for the Panthers
On September 1, 2011, Cam Newton was named the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback, ahead of Derek Anderson and Jimmy Clausen.
September 11, 2011: Newton's NFL debut
On September 11, 2011, in his NFL debut, Cam Newton passed for 422 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a 28–21 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He also rushed for a touchdown and set a rookie record for passing yards in his first game with a quarterback rating of 110.4.
October 2011: NCAA closes investigation into Cam Newton's recruitment
In October 2011, the NCAA concluded its 13-month investigation into Cam Newton's recruitment, finding no evidence that Auburn participated in any pay-for-play scenario. The investigation, which included over 50 interviews and a review of numerous financial and communication records, determined that Cecil Newton only solicited a cash payment from Mississippi State and no other institution recruiting his son.
December 4, 2011: Newton sets NFL rushing touchdown record for quarterbacks
On December 4, 2011, Cam Newton set the NFL rushing touchdown record for quarterbacks, rushing for his 13th touchdown of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also caught a 27-yard pass in a 38-19 win and earned his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week nomination.
December 24, 2011: Newton breaks Peyton Manning's rookie passing record
On December 24, 2011, Cam Newton threw for 171 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown in a 48–16 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He broke Peyton Manning's record of 3,739 passing yards for a rookie.
2011: Matching a Career-High
During the 2020 season, in Week 9, Newton had his third game with two rushing touchdowns, matching his career-high of three such games from his rookie season in 2011.
2011: Speaking About Faith
In 2011, Cam Newton spoke about his Christian faith after winning the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, expressing his gratitude to God.
2011: Drafted into NFL
In 2011, Cam Newton was selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL draft.
2011: Career-High Rushing Touchdowns
In the 2020 season, Newton finished with a league-high 12 quarterback rushing touchdowns, the second-highest in a season behind his 14 in 2011.
2011: Dress Code Violation
On December 4, 2016, against the Seattle Seahawks, Newton was benched for the first offensive series for a dress code violation. It was Newton's first professional game, other than his first career preseason game in 2011, in which he began the game as the backup.
2011: Rushing Touchdowns Since 2011
Through the first five weeks of the 2015 season, Cam Newton recorded the 36th career rushing touchdown of his career; over that span, since 2011, only Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson recorded more rushing touchdowns.
January 1, 2012: Newton becomes first rookie quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards
On January 1, 2012, against the New Orleans Saints, Cam Newton threw for 158 yards and became the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards. He finished his rookie season with 4,051 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 706 rushing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns.
January 22, 2012: Newton named to Pro Bowl
On January 22, 2012, Cam Newton was selected for the Pro Bowl after the New York Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. He participated in the Pro Bowl due to Eli Manning's Super Bowl appearance.
February 4, 2012: Newton named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
On February 4, 2012, Cam Newton was named both AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. He received his awards at the NFL Honors award show and was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He earned the nickname Superman due to his touchdown celebration.
2012: Rushing Touchdown Record
In 2012, Cam Newton had 116 rushing yards on nine carries in a Week 14 win against Atlanta, marking one of his best performances since then.
2013: Playoff Appearance
Between 2013 and 2017, Cam Newton led the Panthers to four playoff appearances and three division titles.
2013: Clothing Line Partnership with Belk
In 2013, Cam Newton partnered with Southern department store chain Belk on his own clothing line, MADE by Cam Newton.
2013: Passing Improvement
In 2013, Cam Newton took an average of 2.73 seconds to attempt a pass, and got the ball out in under 2.5 seconds on 40% of his drop-backs.
2013: Touchdown Record
In 2015, Cam Newton's 45 total touchdowns during the regular season marked the most touchdowns by a single player since 2013.
March 21, 2014: Newton undergoes ankle surgery
On March 21, 2014, Cam Newton underwent surgery to tighten up his ankle ligaments, an issue he had since college at Auburn University. The recovery time was estimated at four months, causing him to miss training camp and the first preseason game.
December 9, 2014: Car Crash and Back Fractures
On December 9, 2014, Cam Newton was involved in a car crash in Charlotte where his vehicle flipped, and he suffered two back fractures.
2014: Newton selected for the 2014 Pro Bowl
In 2014, Cam Newton was selected for the 2014 Pro Bowl. The week after he lost his first NFL playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. Newton was drafted third in the first annual Pro Bowl Draft, by Team Sanders. Newton was rated as the 24th best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list.
2014: Opening Day Victory
In 2014, the Panthers won their NFL opening-day game with an injured Cam Newton on the sidelines.
March 2015: Merchandise Sales
From March 2015 to February 2016, Cam Newton's merchandise sales ranked 7th-most among NFL players.
June 2, 2015: Contract Extension
On June 2, 2015, the Panthers and Cam Newton agreed to a five-year, $103.8 million contract extension.
2015: NFL Top 100 Ranking
Despite injuries and missing two games throughout the 2015 season, Cam Newton was ranked as the 73rd best player in the NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.
2015: Graduation from Auburn University
In 2015, Cam Newton graduated from Auburn University with a degree in sociology.
2015: NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year
In 2015, Cam Newton led NFL quarterbacks in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns and was selected as the 2015 NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year by the PFWA. Newton's 45 total touchdowns during the regular season marked the most touchdowns by a single player since 2013.
2015: Named NFL MVP
In 2015, Cam Newton was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and helped Carolina obtain a franchise-best 15–1 record, leading to an appearance in Super Bowl 50.
February 6, 2016: NFL MVP Award
On February 6, 2016, Cam Newton was named NFL MVP. He was the second African-American quarterback to receive the honor after Steve McNair in 2003.
February 7, 2016: Super Bowl 50 Loss
On February 7, 2016, Cam Newton and the Panthers lost Super Bowl 50 against the Broncos by a score of 24–10. Newton controversially hesitated to dive on a football (later citing injury concerns) allowing the Broncos to recover the football with a first-and-goal on their eventual game-clinching touchdown.
February 2016: Merchandise Sales
From March 2015 to February 2016, Cam Newton's merchandise sales ranked 7th-most among NFL players.
2016: Regression in Performance and Team Record
In 2016, Cam Newton's performance declined with a career-worst 52.9% pass completion rate, 19 touchdown passes (16 fewer than the previous year), and 14 interceptions. The Panthers' record regressed to 6-10. Despite his performance, he was ranked 44th in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
2016: Hosting All in with Cam Newton
In 2016, Newton hosted All in with Cam Newton.
2016: Rushing Touchdown Records
In the opening game of the 2016 season against the Denver Broncos, Cam Newton surpassed two of Steve Young's NFL records, one for the most career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, with his 44th, and the other for most games with a passing and rushing touchdown, with his 32nd.
2017: Playoff Appearance
Between 2013 and 2017, Cam Newton led the Panthers to four playoff appearances and three division titles.
2017: Ranked 44th in NFL Top 100 Players
Despite a down season in 2016, Newton was ranked 44th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
2018: Performance and NFC Offensive Player of the Week Award
During the 2018 season, after a Week 1 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, Newton had strong performances against the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals. In Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, after being down 17-0 in the fourth quarter, Newton led the Panthers to a 21-17 victory, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
2018: NFL Top 100 Ranking
In 2018, Newton was ranked 25th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players.
January 24, 2019: Right Shoulder Surgery
On January 24, 2019, Cam Newton underwent surgery on his right shoulder.
February 2019: Launched YouTube Channel
In February 2019, Cam Newton launched his YouTube channel, which he has updated consistently since.
March 2019: Became a Vegan
As of March 2019, Cam Newton became a vegan after being a self-proclaimed pescetarian. Some dietitians have claimed that the change in diet may have delayed his injury recovery the following season, especially if not done properly.
May 2019: Fellaship Restaurant Opening
In May 2019, Cam Newton's cigar bar and restaurant named Fellaship formally opened at Olympic Park Drive near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
2019: Low Passing Yards
During the 2020 season, Newton threw for 2,657 yards and eight touchdowns, which were the lowest outside of his injury-shortened 2019 campaign.
2019: Most Underrated Quarterback and NFL Top 100 Ranking
In 2019, Newton was voted the most underrated quarterback in the league by defensive players. He was also ranked 87th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players.
2019: Extramarital Affair and Split with Proctor
In mid-2019, Newton fathered a son with an Instagram model months before his fourth child with Proctor was born. Newton and Proctor split later that year as a result of the affair.
March 17, 2020: Panthers Grant Permission to Seek Trade
On March 17, 2020, the Panthers announced that they had given Cam Newton permission to seek a trade.
July 8, 2020: Signing with the New England Patriots
On July 8, 2020, Cam Newton signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. The contract included a base salary of $1.05 million and a maximum value of $7.5 million.
October 3, 2020: Positive COVID-19 Test
On October 3, 2020, Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19, leading the team to place him on the reserve/COVID-19 list and postpone their Week 4 game by one day.
2020: Played for the New England Patriots
In 2020, after being released ahead of his 10th season, Cam Newton played for the New England Patriots.
March 12, 2021: Re-signing with the Patriots
On March 12, 2021, the Patriots re-signed Cam Newton to a one-year deal worth up to $13.6 million.
November 11, 2021: Returning to the Panthers
On November 11, 2021, Cam Newton signed a one-year deal worth up to $10 million to return to the Carolina Panthers.
October 2024: Hired by ESPN
In October 2024, Cam Newton was hired by ESPN as a football commentator, primarily appearing on First Take.
December 2024: Attended Heisman Trophy Ceremony
In December 2024, Cam Newton attended the Heisman Trophy ceremony for the first time since winning the award in 2010 to support Travis Hunter.
2024: Fathered a Daughter with Jasmin Brown
In 2024, Cam Newton also fathered a daughter with actress and comedian Jasmin Brown.
May 2025: Expecting Ninth Child
In May 2025, Jasmin Brown announced that the couple were expecting another child, which will be Newton’s ninth.
August 2025: New multi-year deal with ESPN
In August 2025, Newton reached a new multi-year deal with ESPN, which included an "expanded role" on First Take.
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