Auburn fans were given an unexpected sight Monday when program legend Cam Newton showed up at Missouri’s fall camp in Columbia wearing Mizzou colors.
The former Auburn quarterback’s appearance immediately caught attention because of his legendary status on the Plains. Newton remains one of the most recognizable figures in Auburn football history, particularly after leading the Tigers to a national championship during the unforgettable 2010 season.
Newton’s connection to Missouri, however, is more personal than it is about football allegiance.
Newton Was There to Support a Former Ole Miss Receiver
The 2010 Heisman Trophy winner traveled to Missouri to spend time with Cayden Lee, a fellow Georgia native whom Newton mentors.
Lee transferred to Missouri from Ole Miss during the offseason, and Newton has continued to support him as he develops his college career.
That connection explains why Newton was willing to wear Missouri gear, even though his appearance naturally caught the attention of Auburn supporters.
Newton has also developed relationships with members of Missouri’s coaching staff. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and running backs coach Curtis Luper both have Auburn connections, having previously been part of the Tigers’ coaching staff.
Those relationships give Newton another reason to feel comfortable around the Missouri program.
Auburn Fans Have Seen Newton Around the Program
The Missouri appearance was particularly notable because Newton had already been around Auburn earlier this year.
He visited Alex Golesh’s spring practices and spent time offering advice to transfer quarterback Byrum Brown. Given Newton’s experience playing quarterback at Auburn and his success at the college and professional levels, his presence has obvious value for young players.
However, Newton has not yet made an appearance at Auburn’s fall camp, making his appearance in Columbia stand out even more.
Seeing one of the greatest players in Auburn history wearing another SEC school’s colors was bound to generate reactions from Tigers fans.
Missouri and Auburn Have Their Own History
While Newton has no direct playing history against Missouri, the two programs have crossed paths in important SEC games.
Auburn and Missouri famously met in the 2013 SEC Championship Game, when the Tigers were competing for the conference title.
Missouri has also had the upper hand in the teams’ more recent meetings. The Tigers from Columbia won the last two matchups in 2024 and 2025, with the previous three games between the programs all being decided by one score.
That history makes it especially amusing—and perhaps uncomfortable—for Auburn supporters to see their program icon wearing Missouri colors.
Still, Newton’s appearance should not be interpreted as him turning his back on Auburn. His reason for being at Missouri was tied to his relationship with Lee, whom he is helping and mentoring.
Should Auburn Bring Newton Into the Program?
The situation has nevertheless sparked a broader conversation about Newton’s future relationship with Auburn athletics.
Given his enormous impact on the university, there is a strong argument that Auburn should formally bring Newton into the athletic department in some type of ambassador role.
Newton remains one of the most influential former Auburn athletes alive. His 2010 season produced a national championship, a Heisman Trophy and one of the most memorable individual campaigns in college football history.
A formal relationship with Auburn could allow the school to utilize his popularity, experience and connection with current players while keeping one of its most celebrated alumni closely connected to the program.
For now, though, Newton is free to support the players and people he has relationships with even if that occasionally means showing up in another SEC school’s colors.
Auburn fans may not love seeing Cam Newton dressed in Missouri gear, but his presence in Columbia appears to be about mentorship rather than loyalty and the Tigers could still have their legend back around the Plains before long.
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