Cam Newton returned to Auburn University this past weekend for a moment years in the making.
The former NFL and college football star was honored Saturday as the school officially retired his No. 2 jersey during a special halftime ceremony at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“Thank you to Auburn. This is something that I will remember for the rest of my life.”@CameronNewton on Auburn retiring his jersey number on Saturday 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rBtrmwQMfP
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 10, 2025
Before the big night, Newton spoke with First Take about what the moment meant to him, calling it “surreal” and saying that “hard work still pays.”
“What a time to be alive for me.,” he said. “I’m grateful. This is a surreal moment for me. And I just want this to be a testament and testimony for athletes to realize that hard work still pays. And when it came to the game of football, I never cheated. I did everything that people who I needed to listen to, told me to do. And I just wanted to execute.”
He continued, “So, thank you to Auburn, this is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. And I’m just happy for my kids to be there to witness and for them to see and get their approval of saying that their dad is pretty cool too so.”
Leading up to the ceremony, Newton reiterated how meaningful it was to have his children by his side.
“But to have my children here for them to kind of see like, oh, that’s daddy. I’ve said no to a lot of opportunities because I wasn’t able to bring them. Every man, every parent does what they do to be able to allow their children to see them of what they’ve accomplished.
Cam Newton is a father of nine kids. He recently revealed that he and girlfriend Jasmin Brown have quietly welcomed their second child together — a baby boy.
Newton also shares four children — Chosen, Camidas, Cashmere, and Sovereign-Dior — with ex Kia Proctor, and helps care for her older daughter, Shakira. He also has a son, Caesar, with photographer LaReina Shaw, and is a father figure to her older son, Jaden.
