Cam Newton’s No. 2 to be Retired at Auburn
On Monday, Auburn University announced that it will retire the No. 2 jersey worn by Cam Newton during his unforgettable 2010 season—a year that ended with the Tigers hoisting the BCS National Championship trophy and Newton cementing himself as one of the greatest players in college football history.
Newton becomes just the fourth Auburn player to receive the honor, joining legendary company: quarterback Pat Sullivan (7), running back Bo Jackson (34), and wide receiver Terry Beasley (88). No player has worn Newton’s number since Auburn’s title game victory over Oregon, but until now, it hadn’t been made official that the jersey would be permanently off-limits.
The announcement came in surprise fashion. Newton was in the middle of an interview reflecting on his Auburn career when athletic director John Cohen and deputy athletic director Tim Jackson walked in to deliver the news.
“I think what Tim’s trying to say is, ain’t nobody gonna wear it from here on out, because we’re retiring your number, brother,” Cohen told Newton, who responded with a smile, a hug, and a quiet “Thank you. Appreciate it.”
A One-Year Wonder, but a Forever Legend
What makes Newton’s Auburn legacy unique is that it was forged in just one season. After starting his college career at Florida and then spending a year at Blinn College in Texas, Newton arrived at Auburn in 2010 and instantly transformed the program.
That year, Newton accounted for 4,327 total yards and 50 total touchdowns—30 through the air and 20 more on the ground. His blend of power, speed, and passing efficiency was unlike anything college football had seen before. By season’s end, Newton had won the Heisman Trophy, led Auburn to a perfect 14–0 record, and delivered the program’s first national championship since 1957.
“The Auburn family reveres you,” Cohen said in the announcement video. “Now the Auburn family is going to get to see your name and your number up in that stadium. I don’t know of anybody more deserving in Auburn history.”
NFL Stardom and a Lasting Auburn Connection
Newton went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, beginning a nine-year run with the Carolina Panthers that included three Pro Bowls, a trip to Super Bowl 50, and the 2015 NFL MVP award.
In 2020, Newton became the first quarterback to take over for Tom Brady in New England, starting 15 games for the Patriots. He returned to Carolina for a brief stint in 2021, which would mark the end of his NFL career.
Yet despite all his professional accomplishments, Newton’s legend has always been tethered to that singular, electric season at Auburn. His No. 2 jersey—soon to be immortalized at Jordan-Hare Stadium—serves as a reminder that sometimes one year is all it takes to create a legacy that lasts forever.
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