Cam Newton ( safety ) Cameron Lemark Newton ( born May 19 , 1982 ) is a former American football safety . He played college football at Furman University , then played two seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons . He signed with the Panthers after the 2006 season but was cut before the 2007 season . He later played with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League . Newton ' s brother Syvelle Newton , played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and in the Arena Football League . Early life . Born in Darlington , South Carolina , Newton attended Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville , South Carolina where he played football , starting at defensive back and quarterback . He was a starter on Marlboro ' s 1998 state championship team , as well as leading Marlboro to a 10 - 2 record and a playoff berth in 2000 . In 2000 , he scored 12 touchdowns on the ground and another 15 in the air . He was a first - team All - State selection and a Shrine Bowl selection . He also played basketball for one season at Marlboro . College career . Newton decided to attend Furman University , where he redshirted his freshman year . In 2001 , he was a backup safety behind Josh Cooper , and finished the year with 22 tackles . In 2002 , after Cooper ' s graduation , Newton was promoted to the starting safety job , from which he recorded 57 tackles , six interceptions , two fumble recoveries , and nine pass deflections . He had shoulder surgery during the offseason , and was held out of the 2003 spring training . During the 2003 season , Newton intercepted 10 passes and had a team - high 61 tackles , which earned him a unanimous All - Southern Conference selection as well as Furman University ' s Best Defensive Back Award . He missed three games in 2004 with an ankle injury , but ended the season with 63 tackles , four passes deflected and two fumbles recoveries . His 9 interceptions were good for 12th highest all - time in Furman University ' s history . Professional career . NFL . After going undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft Newton signed with the Atlanta Falcons . He was promoted to the starting roster on September 20 after cornerback Leigh Torrence was waived . He spent two seasons with the Falcons , during which he started nine games ( six in 2005 , three in 2006 ) . He totaled four tackles on special teams ( all solo ) . He was waived by the Falcons at the end of the 2006 NFL season after spending some time on their practice squad during the second half of the season . The Carolina Panthers then signed him , but released him before the 2007 season as part of the final training camp cuts . Tryouts for the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans proved unsuccessful . Arena Football League . After sitting out the 2007 season with an Achilles injury , Newton signed with the Georgia Force of the Arena Football League , where he played for one year . During that year , he totaled 50 tackles , two fumbles recoveries , and four interceptions , three of which were returned for touchdowns . He was cut after the 2008 season . Personal life . After the Panthers drafted Cameron Jerrell Newton in the 2011 NFL Draft , a quarterback from Auburn , Cameron Lemark Newton has frequently been confused with the Auburn quarterback . Jerrell Newton remembers watching Lemark Newton play for the Falcons while he was attending high school in Atlanta , Georgia . Newton now works as a personal trainer . He holds the Cam Newton Football Fundamentals camp every summer in Bennetsville .