Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton finds

a springboard for success at Blinn College

More than 50 Blinn College football players have used their Buccaneer football career as a springboard to the NFL, but none of those players are as immediately identifiable with Blinn's rich football tradition as Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

A Westlake (Ga.) High School product, Newton played two years at the University of Florida as Tim Tebow's backup before deciding to transfer. With the help of his family, Newton had his choice of junior college football programs, but he wanted his new school to feature a strong academic reputation to go along with its gridiron excellence.

He chose Blinn College.

Although Newton had not been a starting quarterback for almost three years, it didn't take long for him to regain his footing as he threw for 2,833 yards with 22 touchdowns and ran for another 655 yards in leading the Buccaneers to the program's fourth national championship. By season's end, Newton was ranked the No. 1 quarterback available from either the high school or junior college ranks by Rivals.com. 

After signing with Auburn University, Newton became just the third player in major college football history to pass for 30 touchdowns and rush for 20 touchdowns in a single season. During his first season at Auburn, Newton led the top-ranked Auburn Tigers to a 13-0 record and the 2010 national championship. On Dec. 11, 2010, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college football player in the nation. In addition, Newton was the recipient of the 2010 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He was also named a first-team All-American by numerous organizations.

Newton finished the season ranked first in the nation in total points responsible for (21.84 per game) and in passing efficiency with a rating of 182.05. He also led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in rushing (105.21 yards) and total offense (309.07 yards), and became the first player in SEC history and the eighth different player in NCAA history to pass for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season.

In the 2011 NFL Draft, Newton became the first former NJCAA student-athlete to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick when he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers. During his inaugural season, he broke several records, including the most passing yards by a rookie quarterback (4,051) and was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pepsi-Cola Rookie of the Year.

Newton spent nine seasons with the Panthers, where he broke several NFL and franchise records and has made three Pro Bowl appearances following the  2011, 2013, and 2015 seasons.

In 2013, he led the Panthers to a 12-4 record and went to the playoffs for the first time in his NFL career. In 2014, Newton led the Carolina Panthers to the first back-to-back division titles in the NFC South since the formation of the division and their first playoff win in nine years. Newton racked up more accolades in 2015 after taking the Panthers to Super Bowl 50. He was named the 2015 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player, a first-team All-Pro, and earned the Bert Bell Award. In 2019, he was inducted into the NJCAA Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

In 2020, Newton with the New England Patriots and was named the starting quarterback.

Newton is the founder of the Cam Newton Foundation, a charitable organization committed to enhancing the lives of youth by addressing their educational, physical, and social needs.