While it’s not customary for the former winners of the Heisman Trophy to attend the event every year, many do so to express their support for the subsequent generations of winners and finalists. Cam Newton, who lifted the award in 2010 while playing for the Auburn Tigers, had vowed to never attend the ceremony again. However, it seems he’s going to make a special exception for Travis Hunter this year.
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Newton wants to attend the ceremony because Hunter was once part of his CN1 program.
“The only reason I’m going back is because of one of the former players C1N program, Travis Hunter,” said Cam in the latest episode of his 4th&1 podcast.
Much like Newton during his playing days, Hunter is the frontrunner for the prestigious honor with -2000 odds to win. He joins Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, and Miami’s Cam Ward as Heisman finalists.
Hunter’s presence is just one of the reasons why the former NFL MVP is heading to New York and back into the Heisman room. He revealed that his father, Cecil Newton, ordered him to set his feelings aside and attend the event this year.
So why hasn’t Cam attended the last 13 Heisman Trophy presentations? Well, the answer lies in his college journey and the road to the Heisman.
Newton almost lost Heisman eligibility
Cam had won all there was to win during his college career. He also got drafted into the NFL as the first overall pick. However, his college journey landed him into a controversy that almost cost him the Heisman Trophy, and Auburn their first Natty.
His college career began with two uneventful seasons in Florida with the Gators, serving as a backup to former Heisman winner, Tim Tebow. After two years, and a controversy around a stolen laptop, he transferred to Blinn College, a Juco, to reinvent his career. After only a season with them, breaking numerous records, he became a highly sought-after recruit, with offers from many big programs.
Newton’s decision to take his talents to Auburn led to one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history. Competing in the highly competitive SEC, Newton dazzled fans with his dual-threat abilities, leading the Tigers to their first-ever SEC Championship.
However, controversy clouded his standout season when the NCAA investigated allegations that Cam and his father accepted $180,000 from Mississippi State, violating amateurism rules.
Despite the investigation, the NCAA found no evidence implicating Cam. His father, however, was found guilty of the violation. The NCAA cleared Newton to play in the SEC Championship game, preserving his eligibility and keeping him in contention for the Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman Trust, which requires candidates to be in good standing with the NCAA, upheld Newton’s candidacy too.
That season, Newton put up jaw-dropping numbers, throwing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns while rushing for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns. His dominance earned him the sixth-most first-place votes and the third-highest percentage of first-place votes in Heisman history.
Newton, comfortably, secured the award, receiving 729 first-place votes, far ahead of Andrew Luck’s 78.
