Is Cam Newton out of Florida for stealing a laptop? American Sports Story fact check

Although Hulu’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez Focusing primarily on its titular athlete, the show also chronicles certain exploits of other real-life figures, but it doesn’t always make historical accuracy a priority. Cam Newton, played by Warren Egypt Franklin, is one of many real NFL players and coaches represented in American Sports Story. While the overall story is based on actual events, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez Episode 2 changes the details surrounding what happened to Newton near the end of his time at the University of Florida.

Aaron Hernandez’s football career only overlapped very slightly with that of Cam Newton. Although they are both Florida Gators, their respective playing positions and places on the depth chart meant that they didn’t really compete together all that much. The story about Newton was dismissed for stealing in American Sports Story is based on an element of truthBut the show has twisted certain details for dramatic effect.

Cam Newton stole a laptop, but Florida didn’t challenge him

Newton was not kicked out of college after his arrest

American Sports Story Don’t ignore Newton’s run-ins with the law, nor those of his fellow Gators. This era of the team’s history has indeed led to several players being arrested for various crimes, including Newton’s connection to a stolen laptop. however, The quarterback’s crime was not what resulted in his dismissal from the University of Florida and ending his Gators career.

American Sports Story Shows Tony Yazbeck’s Urban Meyer bending to his superiors’ demands to cut one of the guilty student athletes to make an example of them. The intention of cutting Cam Newton from the team in the world of the show was to make it clear that further law-breaking would not be tolerated. While Newton is still a top-rated dual-threat quarterback, he is still ultimately a backup player. so, Yazbeck’s Coach Meyer made the decision to minimize the impact on his stacked roster. In fact, this is not why Newton left the University of Florida.

Cam Newton chose to leave the University of Florida because of Tim Tebow

Tebow’s talents kept Newton off the field

Newton’s first season as a Gator came in 2007 – the same year as Aaron Hernandez’s freshman year. Although teammate Tim Tebow was the backup for the 2006 season, his contributions off the bench earned him the starting job over Newton. As a result, Newton sat behind his fellow quarterback for two straight yearsBut ultimately never got the chance to play. Tebow continued to go from strength to strength, winning the Heisman Trophy after his first full year as a starter and also becoming a finalist for the award in his second and third years.

“When Tebow announced that, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m coming back [for my senior year]- I say, I have to leave now. I didn’t play when you were here.’ And then, because of Urban’s, you couldn’t even identify who the backup was between me and John Brantley. We’re fighting for scraps, you can have that. ” – Cam Newton (via SportSkeeda).

Newton knew after the success Tebow enjoyed during the 2007 season that he would have to leave Florida if he was ever to become a starter and try to eventually make an NFL roster. This attitude is compounded when Tebow revealed that he would not turn pro after his junior year and wanted to continue playing for the Gators for another season. It was a smart decision by Newton to move on, as Tebow dazzled scouts and Gator fans with his arm and his legs, so Newton would have been incredibly unlikely to get any playing time.

Cam Newton’s College and NFL Career After Leaving Florida Explained

Newton played for 2 more colleges before moving on to his professional era

According to ESPNNewton’s transfer to Texas’ Blinn College may also have been due to the quarterback facing the possibility of expulsion from the University of Florida due to academic cheating. nevertheless, Newton was named the starter for BlinnAnd NJCAA Reports say he threw and ran for a combined 38 touchdowns while throwing just 5 interceptions. The following season, Newton transferred again. This time, he became an Auburn Tiger. The NCAA Has Newston’s Auburn stats as a combined 50 passing/rushing touchdowns as well as a reception to the endzone. He also won the Heisman and a national championship.

Despite former teammate Tim Tebow’s tremendous success at the college level, his erratic playing style meant that Tebow struggled to sustain a career in the NFL. While his talents shone after being named the Denver Broncos’ starter in 2011, he then floated around the league for years before transitioning into a career as a college football analyst. rather, Newton went to the Carolina Panthers as the first overall pick In the 2011 NFL draft.

Newton remained with the Panthers through the 2019 season, playing in Super Bowl 50 against Peyton Manning’s Broncos and was crowned NFL MVP once during that time. After failing to be re-signed after his lone New England Patriots season in 2020, Newton stepped in to help the Panthers midway through the 2021 season before finally being released again after the last game. But, because American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is not about Newton, and the main character played only until 2013, Newton’s impressive career after Florida is not particularly relevant to the show.

Sources: SportSkeeda, ESPN, NJCAA, NCAA