Cam Newton's No. 2 Jersey to Be Retired by Auburn, QB Won Heisman, National Title

Auburn will retire Cam Newton's No. 2 jersey on Oct. 11 ahead of its game against Georgia.

Newton is the fourth Tigers player to have his number immortalized by the school after Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley received the honor.

The former quarterback had one of the single greatest seasons ever in his lone year at Auburn. He threw for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns and ran for 1,473 yards and 20 scores. In addition to lifting the Heisman Trophy, he helped the Tigers lift a national championship in 2010.

"Cam Newton not only led Auburn to a national championship in 2010, but he produced one of the most prolific seasons ever by a college football player," Auburn athletic director John Cohen said. "Retiring Cam’s jersey number is a fitting way to celebrate his lasting impact on Auburn University and Auburn Athletics for all time."

Even if Newton hadn't been the Heisman winner and Auburn came up short against Oregon in the BCS Championship Game, he wrote himself into Tigers lore forever with his effort in the 2010 Iron Bowl.

The decorated signal-caller went 13-of-20 for 216 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for 39 yards and one score on 22 carries. Auburn erased a 24-point deficit to Alabama en route to a 28-27 victory.

ESPN ranked Newton as one of the 150 best college football players ever to coincide with the sport's 150th anniversary. Among the stars from the 2000s, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman listed him at No. 1 overall.

"The towering 6'5", 250-pound Newton ran through the hardest conference in college football, leading the Tigers to a 14-0 record. The most remarkable detail of Newton's dominance that year was he led Gene Chizik's Auburn squad — ranked No. 23 in the preseason — to a perfect record and did it shouldering a load unlike any other national champion QB we’ve ever seen. He didn't have a single skill player drafted. Only tackles Brandon Mosley (fourth round) and Lee Ziemba (seventh round) were picked on the O-line. The entire starting defense had only two players drafted."

Newton isn't the only legend Auburn is celebrating during the 2025 season. The school announced last week it will recognize Jackson at the Iron Bowl in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of his Heisman win.