Cam Newton shares the biggest regrets he has from his Heisman Trophy ceremony

Cam Newton revealed he had some regrets from his Heisman Trophy ceremony during the 2010 college football season. The former No. 1 overall pick out of Auburn took the college sports world by storm with his historic season, leading the Tigers to a national title.

But rather than bask in the glow and appreciate the moment, Newton was ready for what was to come. After the Heisman, it was to win the national title next.

But after the national title, it was getting ready for a pro career that was soon to begin. The hype surrounding Newton was real and he turned himself into an MVP with the Carolina Panthers. But he still looks back and wishes he did some small things differently.

“I held this resentment for so long,” Newton told Johnny Manziel on the latter’s podcast. “My father wasn’t there to receive the award with me, a person who was the most influential person in my life. Still to this day, that’s one. And then the second I was so, like, ‘Okay, what’s next? What’s next?’ Got the trophies? Like, all right, I gotta go win the national championship. I didn’t even get to really enjoy the national championship, because right after that, the team went back to Auburn. I went to LA, did Jay Leno Tonight Show or David Letterman, one of the two. 

“And at that moment, my college career, and that’s really a question for you, too, bro, when did you no longer feel like a college athlete? When did you feel like, bro, I’m a professional athlete without the professional funds, but it was the responsibility, you know what I’m saying?”

During that lone season at Auburn, Newton threw for 2,854 yards, 30 touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 66.1% completion percentage, had 1,473 rushing yards and ran for 20 touchdowns. 50 total touchdowns in a season is bananas.

One can make an argument Newton turned in the best singular season ever by a college football player. Since he wished he took a second to appreciate what he did, he pondered that take of his greatness.

“That’s dope,” Newton said. “… What I’ve been able to do, especially now in my life, has been able to say, ‘I got everything from football.’ I’m good with my résumé. When we do our tests, it’s like, ‘All right, pencils down.’ Man, I walk into the teacher with my scantron, I feel good — with anybody, you dig? I don’t have to always speak about what I’ve done, but more or less feel vindicated because of the effort that I put into it when nobody saw.”