Forty former Tigers on NFL Rosters as Preseason Camp Begins

Aug. 4, 2016

By Scott Scroggins
AuburnTigers.com

AUBURN, Ala. -- The 2016 NFL season will begin the same way the 2015 season ended ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" with a rematch of Super Bowl 50 between Cam Newton's Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. The two teams will meet in the opening game of the season on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. CT on NBC.

But reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton is not looking back. Instead, he's looking toward the new season.

"It's not about encores, it's not about looking back," Newton told the Carolina Panthers' official website. "I'm living in the moment right now.

"I've been counting the days just to get back with the guys."

Newton is one of 40 former Auburn football players on NFL rosters at the start of training camp. The group includes 31 veterans, who have accumulated 94 combined years in the NFL, and nine rookies.

Karlos Dansby, entering his 13th NFL season and his third with the Cleveland Browns, is the longest-tenured player among the former Tigers.

Newton, in his sixth season as the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, has the longest run with one team among the former Auburn players currently in the NFL.

There is at least one former Tiger on the roster of 22 of the 32 NFL teams.

The first preseason game is Sunday, Aug. 7 as the Green Bay Packers face the Indianapolis Colts in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Teams must have their roster down to 75 players by Aug. 30 and 53 players by Sept. 3.