Auburn football announced that Cam Newton’s jersey will be retired this fall, joining a select group of program legends. The school confirmed that Newton’s No. 2 will be honored on October 11, when the Tigers host Georgia. Newton, who captured the 2010 Heisman Trophy, guided Auburn to a national championship in his only season on campus.
With Newton included, Auburn’s list of retired numbers highlights some of the greatest names in school history and reflects the program’s strict standards for the honor.
As Cam Newton Joins the List, Which Jerseys Has Auburn Already Retired?
Newton becomes the fourth player in Auburn history to receive this distinction, joining Pat Sullivan (7), Bo Jackson (34), and Terry Beasley (88).
“Auburn will always be home to me,” Newton said in a statement. “The national championship we won in 2010 was a special moment, and to have my jersey retired alongside legends like Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Terry Beasley is an incredible honor that I’ll cherish forever. War Eagle!”
BIG NEWS: Auburn will retire Heisman legend Cam Newton’s No. 2 jersey number prior to the Georgia game this season. Newton will join Pat Sullivan, Terry Beasley and Bo Jackson as former players to have their number retired.
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Newton’s impact in 2010 remains unmatched. He directed the Tigers to a 14-0 season capped by the BCS National Championship and SEC Championship. That year, he completed more than 66 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns.
On the ground, he rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 scores and even added a receiving touchdown. His performance earned him consensus All-American honors, the Heisman Trophy, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, and AP Player of the Year.
Athletics director John Cohen praised Newton’s accomplishments, saying,
“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.”
Pat Sullivan: Auburn’s First Heisman Hero
Sullivan made his mark as Auburn’s star quarterback before moving on to the NFL. Under head coach Ralph Jordan, Sullivan became the starter in 1969 and guided the Tigers to a 26–7 record across three seasons.
In 1970, he led the nation in total offense with 2,856 yards and set an NCAA record by averaging 8.57 yards per play. His senior year numbers included 162 completions on 281 attempts for 2,012 yards and 20 touchdowns, a performance that earned him the 1971 Heisman Trophy over Ed Marinaro.
Bo Jackson and Terry Beasley’s Historic Impact
Bo Jackson, one of the most versatile athletes in college football history, followed Sullivan as Auburn’s next Heisman recipient in 1985. Born in Bessemer, Alabama, Jackson turned down a contract from the New York Yankees in 1982 to play football at Auburn.
As a freshman, he ran for 829 yards and nine scores. The following year, he rushed for 1,213 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging nearly eight yards per carry, as the Tigers finished 11-1. Despite injury setbacks in 1984, Jackson rebounded in his senior season with 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns, winning the Heisman in what was then the closest vote ever.
Beasley, Auburn’s star receiver from 1969 to 1971, helped Sullivan capture the 1971 Heisman by posting elite numbers. He finished with 2,507 receiving yards and 29 touchdown catches, both still school records. In 1970, he became one of only two Auburn receivers ever to surpass 1,000 yards in a season, finishing with 1,051 yards and 11 touchdowns on 52 receptions.
