History of Cam Newton in Timeline

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

1960: Notable Stat

Since 1960, Steve Young (17) and Fran Tarkenton (16) are the only NFL players with more games with 2+ passing touchdowns and at least one rushing touchdown, when compared to Newton's 14 such games.

1971: Pat Sullivan's Touchdown Record

In 1971, Pat Sullivan set a school record for most touchdowns in a single season. This record stood until Cam Newton broke it.

1983: Father Played for Dallas Cowboys

In 1983, Cam Newton's father, Cecil Newton Sr., played safety for the Dallas Cowboys.

1984: Father Played for Buffalo Bills

In 1984, Cam Newton's father, Cecil Newton Sr., played safety for the Buffalo Bills.

May 11, 1989: Cameron Jerrell Newton Born

On May 11, 1989, Cameron Jerrell Newton was born. He would later become a professional football quarterback in the NFL.

Others born on this day/year

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.

2004: Auburn's Previous SEC Championship

2004 was the year that Auburn won the SEC Championship prior to the victory on December 4, 2010.

2004: Lowest completion percentage

In a Week 12 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Cam Newton was benched after completing 5 of 21 passes for 92 yards, two interceptions, and a 5.8 passer rating. His 23.8 completion percentage was the lowest for a quarterback with at least 20 attempts since Joey Harrington in 2004.

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.

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 University of Florida student.

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.

November 2010: Controversy Regarding Allegations Against Father

In November 2010, Cam Newton's 2010 football season was mired in controversy regarding allegations that his father, Cecil Newton, sought substantial sums of money in return for his son playing for a major college football team.

November 2010: Report of Potential Expulsion for Academic Dishonesty

In November 2010, it was reported that Cam Newton faced potential expulsion from the University of Florida for three instances of academic dishonesty prior to transferring.

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.

2010: Ineligibility and Reinstatement

In 2010, Cam Newton was declared ineligible by Auburn after the NCAA found evidence that Cecil Newton solicited money from Mississippi State in exchange for Cam Newton's athletic services, but he was reinstated the next day after Auburn argued that Cam Newton was unaware of his father's actions.

2010: Won Heisman Trophy

In December 2024, Cam Newton attended the Heisman Trophy ceremony for the first time since winning the award in 2010.

2010: Best Season 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 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.

October 2011: NCAA Investigation Closed

In October 2011, the NCAA concluded its 13-month investigation into Cam Newton's recruitment, finding no evidence of Auburn participating in a pay-for-play scheme. The investigation found that Cecil Newton only solicited a cash payment from Mississippi State. The NCAA stated the allegations did not meet the burden of proof.

December 4, 2011: NFL Rushing Touchdown Record

On December 4, 2011, Cam Newton set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, with 13 touchdowns in the season, breaking Steve Grogan's record from 1976. He also had a career-high three rushing touchdowns in a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

December 24, 2011: Broke Peyton Manning's Rookie Passing Record

On December 24, 2011, in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cam Newton broke Peyton Manning's rookie record for passing yards, finishing with 171 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 65 rushing yards in the game.

2011: Speaks about his faith

After winning the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, Cam Newton spoke about his Christian faith.

2011: High rushing touchdowns

Cam Newton finished the 2020 season with a league-high 12 quarterback rushing touchdowns, the second-highest in a season behind his 14 in 2011.

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.

2011: Comparison with other players

Since 2011, only Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson recorded more rushing touchdowns than Cam Newton.

January 1, 2012: 4,000 Rookie Passing Yards

On January 1, 2012, against the New Orleans Saints, Cam Newton became the first rookie quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a season, finishing with 4,051 yards.

January 22, 2012: Pro Bowl Selection

On January 22, 2012, Cam Newton was named to the Pro Bowl after the New York Giants won the NFC Championship. He played in the Pro Bowl due to Eli Manning's Super Bowl appearance.

February 4, 2012: Rookie of the Year Awards

On February 4, 2012, Cam Newton was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. He received his awards on the inaugural NFL Honors award show.

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.

March 21, 2014: Ankle Surgery

On March 21, 2014, Cam Newton underwent surgery to tighten the ligaments in his ankle, an issue he had since college. The recovery was estimated to take four months.

December 9, 2014: Car crash in Charlotte

On December 9, 2014, Cam Newton was involved in a car crash in Charlotte, suffering two back fractures after his vehicle flipped.

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: Graduation from Auburn University

In 2015, Cam Newton graduated from Auburn University with a degree in sociology.

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: Career worst season

In 2016, Cam Newton experienced a career-worst season, completing only 52.9% of his passes. He threw 19 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions, contributing to the Panthers' regression to a 6–10 record.

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.

2017: Ranked 44th in NFL Top 100 Players

Despite a down season in 2016, Cam Newton was ranked 44th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

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.

2018: Ranked 25th in NFL Top 100 Players

In 2018, Cam Newton was ranked 25th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

January 24, 2019: Cam Newton undergoes right shoulder surgery

On January 24, 2019, Cam Newton underwent surgery on his right shoulder to address a nagging injury that had been affecting his performance.

March 2019: Newton becomes a vegan

As of March 2019, Cam Newton transitioned to a vegan diet from being a pescetarian.

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.

2019: Newton voted most underrated quarterback

In 2019, Cam Newton was voted the most underrated quarterback in the league by defensive players and was ranked 87th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

2019: Note

In 2019, the information is current up to the off-season.

2019: Low passing yards

In 2020, Cam Newton's passing yards were the lowest outside of his injury-shortened 2019 campaign.

2019: Affair and Split from Proctor

In mid-2019, Cam Newton fathered a son with an Instagram model, and later that year, he and Proctor split as a result of the affair.

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.

July 8, 2020: Newton signs with New England Patriots

On July 8, 2020, Cam Newton signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots, marking a new chapter in his career.

October 3, 2020: Newton Tests Positive for COVID-19

On October 3, 2020, Cam Newton tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the postponement of the team's Week 4 matchup against the Chiefs.

2020: Played for the New England Patriots

In 2020, Cam Newton played for the New England Patriots after being released by the Carolina Panthers ahead of his 10th season.

March 12, 2021: Patriots Re-Sign Newton

On March 12, 2021, the Patriots re-signed Cam Newton to a one-year deal worth up to $13.6 million.

November 11, 2021: Newton Returns 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.

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. He returned to support Travis Hunter, a finalist for the 2024 Heisman Trophy.