SEC unveils 2025 Legends class honoring Cam Newton, Tyrann Mathieu, more

The Southeastern Conference announced its newest class of “football legends” on Wednesday, revealing a deep and diverse group of former SEC superstars that will be formally honored prior to the annual SEC championship game Dec. 6 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

For the second straight season, the SEC’s 2025 Class of Football Legends includes an alumnus from all 16 league programs, with this year’s group featuring everything from a Heisman Trophy winner, multiple national champions and several Super Bowl champs. The new class will be honored at the annual SEC Legends Celebration on Dec. 5 inside the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, as well as during a pregame ceremony prior to the 2025 SEC Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 6.

SEC’s 2025 Football Legends Class:

• Alabama — C.J. Mosley, Linebacker, 2010-13
• Arkansas — Kenoy Kennedy, Safety, 1996-99
• Auburn — Cam Newton, Quarterback, 2010
• Florida — Brandon Spikes, Linebacker, 2006-09
• Georgia — Randy Johnson, Offensive Guard, 1973-75
• Kentucky — Jacob Tamme, Tight End, 2004-07
• LSU — Tyrann Mathieu, Cornerback, 2010-11
• Ole Miss — William “Bill” Smith, Punter, 1983-86
• Mississippi State — Gabe Jackson, Offensive Guard, 2009-13
• Missouri — Mitch Morse, Offensive Lineman, 2010-14
• Oklahoma — Lucious Selmon, Nose Guard, 1970-73
• South Carolina — Connor Shaw, Quarterback, 2010-13
• Tennessee — Kevin Burnett, Linebacker, 2000-04
• Texas — Derrick Johnson, Linebacker, 2001-04
• Texas A&M — R.C. Slocum, Coach, 1989-2002
• Vanderbilt — Jordan Matthews, Receiver, 2010-13

Highlighting the SEC’s 2025 Legends class is Auburn’s 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, Alabama’s two-time national champion linebacker CJ Mosley and LSU’s own “Honey Badger” Tyrann Mathieu, a three-time NFL All-Pro who won the 2019 Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Newton famously led the Tigers to a perfect 14-0 season in 2010, winning both the SEC and BCS National Championship that year, as well as securing multiple individual honors after combining for 4,327 total yards and 51 total touchdowns. Newton was the first-ever SEC player to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for another 1,000. He’d go onto be the No. 1 overall pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2011 and win Rookie of the Year that season before being named NFL MVP in 2015.

Mosley is among the most decorated linebackers in Alabama history after winning the Butkus Award and SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 after helping guide the Crimson Tide to back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012. After being a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 NFL Draft, Mosley went onto earn five Pro Bowl selections across 10 NFL seasons.

Mathieu became known as one of college football’s most dynamic players, contributing both on defense and special teams, including earning MVP honors in the 2011 SEC Championship game after returning a punt for a touchdown in the game. Mathieu would go onto play 12 NFL seasons after being a third-round pick in 2013, retiring this past year with 838 tackles and 36 career interceptions.

Other notable members of the SEC’s 2025 Legends class includes Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes, a two-time national champion himself; Tennessee linebacker Kevin Burnett; Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson; Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme; South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw, who recently recovered from a scary hospitalization last month; and legendary Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum.