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Cam Newton keeps his promise, graduates from Auburn
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton signed a $103 million contract extension this week, but last month, he reached a different milestone.
Newton told People Magazine that he graduated from Auburn University with a degree in sociology last month, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother.
“Everyone else has always been worried about the football side of things, but not my mother,” Newton said. “My education was my mother’s top priority. I’ve been blessed to have a family that supports me. It’s a Biblical quote: iron sharpens iron. My mother has always been there to sharpen me.”
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Newton spent much of the spring attending lectures and studying for exams. Beyond making his mother proud, Newton, who declared for the NFL draft after his junior season, said earning his degree was something he needed to do even though he is set for life financially.
“It wasn’t about money. I wanted to finish something I started,” Newton said. “I value a lot of things in my life, including education. I now have a degree, and nobody can take that away from me. It was very important to me to become a college graduate – not for anyone else, but for myself.”
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When the subject of his new deal came up, Newton told People that Charlotte feels like home.
“I feel comfortable in Charlotte. It really is my home away from home; there’s no place I’d rather be,” Newton said. “Things are going well. Our team is ascending to new heights that you would expect our franchise to be heading. There are a lot of team expectations, but I know we can reach them.”
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
