Former Kansas State star Terence Newman elected to College Football Hall of Fame
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Terence Newman elected to 2026 College Football Hall of Fame; induction Dec. 8, Las Vegas.
- Newman becomes fifth Kansas State inductee, joining Sproles, Spani, Simoneau and Bachman.
- Unanimous 2002 All‑American and Jim Thorpe winner; 15‑year NFL career with Pro Bowl nods.
One of the most exciting defensive players to ever wear a Kansas State football uniform has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Terence Newman, a standout defensive back who played from the Wildcats from 1999 to 2002, has been selected as a member of the Hall of Fame’s 2026 slass.
Other notable members of the class, which is made up of 18 former players, include Mark Ingram (Alabama), Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska), Marvin Harrison (Syracuse), Aaron Donald (Pittsburgh) and Peter Warrick (Florida State).
Newman and the rest of the group will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas.
He is the fifth K-State player to enter the Hall of Fame, joining Darren Sproles, Gary Spani, Mark Simoneau and Charles Bachman. Bill Snyder and Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf reached the hall as coaches.
Newman arrived at K-State as a recruit out of Salina. He went on to have an outstanding college career thanks to his ability to defend wide receivers and return kicks on special teams. He was a unanimous first team All-American in 2002. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award that year, which is given annually to the nation’s top defensive back.
Newman played a key role in helping K-State win 39 games during his four seasons in Manhattan. That stretch included a trio of 11-win seasons and four bowl trips.
He finished his college career with 134 tackles, 41 passes defended, 10 interceptions, two blocked kicks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. On special teams, he was also able to return 27 punts for 417 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 834 yards and one touchdown on kickoffs.
A rare two-sport standout, Newman was also a two-time All-American in track and field. He captured Big 12 outdoor championships in the 100 meters in both 2001 and 2002.
As a professional, Newman spent 15 years in the NFL. He was selected fifth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He went on to also play for the Bengals and the Vikings. He also made it to a pair of Pro Bowls.