Career Timeline of Cam Newton: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Cam Newton made an impact.

Cam Newton is a former American football quarterback who played 11 seasons in the NFL, mainly for the Carolina Panthers. Known for his dual-threat abilities, he holds the NFL record for quarterback rushing touchdowns and ranks third in rushing yards. Newton won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship at Auburn before being drafted first overall by the Panthers in 2011. He holds numerous franchise records for Carolina, including passing yards and touchdowns.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2002: Named Starting Quarterback

In 2020, Cam Newton was named starting quarterback and team captain of the Patriots on September 3, becoming the team's first new primary starter since 2002.

2003: McNair's MVP Award

In 2003, Steve McNair was the first African-American quarterback to receive the NFL MVP award, sharing the honor with Peyton Manning.

2003: Panthers' Start and Record

In 2003, the Panthers had their first 3-0 start to the NFL season, a feat they repeated in 2015 with Newton's help; in 2003, the Panthers also had their first 4-0 record.

2006: Comparison with LaDainian Tomlinson

In 2006, San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson won the award four times in a seven-week span. Cam Newton was the NFL's first player to win the award four times in a seven-week span since.

2007: Committed to University of Florida

In 2007, Cam Newton committed to the University of Florida at the beginning of his senior year in high school.

2007: Freshman Season at Florida Gators

In 2007, Cam Newton was a freshman at the University of Florida, where he beat out John Brantley as the back-up quarterback for Tim Tebow. He played in five games.

2007: Comparison with Tom Brady

In 2007, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots won three player of the week awards in five weeks. Cam Newton also achieved that feat.

2007: Brady's Record

In 2007, Tom Brady set a record that Cam Newton would later tie. Brady won the award five times in a single NFL season.

2008: Ankle Injury and Medical Redshirt Season

In 2008, during his sophomore season, Cam Newton played in the season opener against Hawaii but sustained an ankle injury 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: First Game at Auburn University

On September 4, 2010, Cam Newton started his first game for Auburn University against Arkansas State, accounting for 186 passing yards, 171 rushing yards, and five total offensive touchdowns.

December 4, 2010: SEC Championship Victory

On December 4, 2010, Cam Newton led the Auburn Tigers to an SEC Championship victory, defeating South Carolina 56–17, setting an SEC Championship Game record for most points scored and largest margin of victory. Newton was named the game MVP.

January 10, 2011: BCS National Championship Win

On January 10, 2011, Auburn, led by Cam Newton, defeated the Oregon Ducks 22–19 to win the BCS National Championship in Glendale, Arizona.

January 2011: Training with George Whitfield Jr.

In January 2011, Cam Newton began training with George Whitfield Jr. in San Diego, joining a list of quarterbacks that Whitfield has trained, including Ben Roethlisberger and Akili Smith.

April 28, 2011: Drafted #1 Overall by Carolina Panthers

On April 28, 2011, Cam Newton was selected first overall in the NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers. This made him the first Heisman Trophy winner to be drafted first overall since Carson Palmer in 2003, and Auburn's fourth No. 1 pick.

July 29, 2011: Signed with Carolina Panthers

On July 29, 2011, Cam Newton signed a four-year, fully guaranteed contract with the Carolina Panthers worth over $22 million. He chose to wear the number 1 jersey.

September 1, 2011: Named Starting Quarterback

On September 1, 2011, Cam Newton was named the Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback, ahead of Derek Anderson and Jimmy Clausen.

September 11, 2011: NFL Debut

On September 11, 2011, in his NFL debut against the Arizona Cardinals, Cam Newton passed for 422 yards, two touchdowns, and rushed for another touchdown. Despite the loss, he set a rookie record for passing yards in an opening game, with a quarterback rating of 110.4.

2011: Drafted into the NFL

In 2011, Cam Newton was selected first overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL draft. He went on to set franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and rushing touchdowns.

2011: First Preseason Game

In 2011, Newton played his first career preseason game. It was the only time he began as the backup other than the December 4, 2016 game.

2011: Matches career-high rushing touchdowns

In Week 9 of 2020, Cam Newton's performance marked the third time in the 2020 season that Newton had rushed for two touchdowns in one game, matching his career-high of three such games in his rookie season in 2011.

2012: Rushing Performance Against Atlanta

In 2012, specifically in Week 14 against Atlanta, Cam Newton had 116 rushing yards on nine carries, marking a significant rushing performance.

2012: Rushing Touchdowns

In Week 12 of the 2012 season, Cam Newton had his first game with two rushing touchdowns, marking a significant moment in his career.

2013: Passing Attempts

In 2013, Cam Newton averaged 2.73 seconds to attempt a pass, with the ball out in under 2.5 seconds on 40% of his drop-backs.

2013: Partnership with Belk on clothing line

In 2013, Cam Newton partnered with Southern department store chain Belk on his own clothing line, MADE by Cam Newton.

2013: Most Touchdowns Since

In 2015, Newton's 45 total touchdowns during the regular season marked the most touchdowns by a single player since 2013.

2014: Panthers Opener Victory

In 2014, the Panthers won their opening game with an injured Cam Newton on the sidelines.

March 2015: Merchandise Sales

From March 2015 to February 2016, Newton sold the 7th-most merchandise in the NFL.

June 2, 2015: Contract Extension

On June 2, 2015, Cam Newton and the Panthers agreed to a five-year, $103.8 million contract extension.

2015: NFL Top 100 Ranking

Despite injuries throughout the 2015 season, Cam Newton was ranked as the 73rd best player in the NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2015: Statistical Achievements

In 2015, Cam Newton led NFL quarterbacks in rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns, and his 45 total touchdowns marked the most by a single player since 2013. He was also selected as the 2015 NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.

2015: Named NFL MVP and Super Bowl Appearance

In 2015, Cam Newton was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and led the Carolina Panthers to a franchise-best 15–1 record, resulting in 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 and the first sole recipient.

February 7, 2016: Super Bowl 50

On February 7, 2016, in Super Bowl 50, the Panthers lost to the Broncos 24-10, with Newton struggling and facing criticism for his performance and a controversial play where he hesitated to recover a fumble.

February 2016: Merchandise Sales

By February 2016, Newton had the 7th-most merchandise sales from March 2015 to February 2016, indicating his popularity.

2016: Milestones and Benchings

In the 2016 season, Newton surpassed Steve Young's NFL records for career rushing touchdowns and games with a passing and rushing touchdown; however, he also suffered a concussion, missed a game, and was benched for a dress code violation.

2018: Newton's Performance in the 2018 Season

During the 2018 season, Newton had notable performances, including a victory over the Dallas Cowboys and a game-winning comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

May 2019: Opening of Fellaship

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.

March 17, 2020: Panthers give Newton permission to seek trade

On March 17, 2020, the Panthers announced that they had given Cam Newton permission to seek a trade. However, after failing to find a trade partner, the team officially released Newton on March 24.