'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton recently spoke to Shannon Sharpe about his college years. Mostly associated in college football with the Auburn Tigers, Newton was once part of the Florida Gators during their time under head coach Urban Meyer.
Newton's run with the Gators did not last long, but there are conflicting stories of why Newton left the program.
"I didn't get kicked out of Florida, I left Florida," he said.
Cam Newton, alongside many other members of the Gators squad during the years of 2007-2009, got into trouble with the law. In Newton's case, he was arrested and charged with burglary after being accused of stealing a laptop from another student. He was suspended from the team, but all charges against him were later dropped.
Many speculated that this was the reason why Newton left the Florida Gators, however, he refuted such speculations.
Why did Cam Newton leave the Florida Gators?
The reason why Cam Newton left the Florida Gators was because of fellow quarterback Tim Tebow.
"When Tebow announced that, 'Oh, by the way, I'm coming back,' I said, 'I gotta leave now. I wasn't playing when you were here.' And then for Urban's sake you couldn't even identify who the backup was between me and John Brantly. We fighting for scraps, y'all can have this."
At that time, the Gators revolved around Tim Tebow. He was the backup quarterback during the Gators' 2006 national title season and took the starting job for the 2007 season, the same season in which Newton joined the Gators.
For the following two seasons, Tebow dominated college football. His strong 2007 season awarded him the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first-ever sophomore to win the prestigious award. A year later, Tebow led the Gators to another national championship win.
After this, it was highly expected that Tebow would declare for the NFL draft and that Cam Newton would have his opportunity to become the starter. However, this did not happen as Tebow came back for his senior year.
In the end, Newton decided to leave due to Tebow's decision. Before finding a home with the Auburn Tigers, winning both a national championship and a Heisman Trophy, Newton played one season for Blinn College.
Do you think Newton should have stayed with the Florida Gators?
