Terence Newman

Terence Newman (born September 4, 1978) is an American football cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys fifth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft and has also played for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at Kansas State, where he received unanimous All-American recognition.

A native of Salina, Kansas, Newman attended Salina High School Central, where he lettered as a junior and senior in football, three times in track & field and basketball and once in baseball for the Mustangs. As a senior in football, he had 10 receptions for 251 yards and three touchdowns playing as a wide receiver on offense, while also making 45 tackles, five interceptions and five PBUs on the defensive side. In addition, he also returned 13 punts for 271 yards (20.9 avg.), two of them for touchdowns. He was a All-Class 5A selection by the Topeka Capital Journal and Wichita Eagle. He was listed as one of the top 20 recruits in the state of Kansas by First Down Recruiting and was a PrepStar All-Region selection.

Apart from football, Newman's was also an outstanding track & field performer with times of 10.36 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.6 seconds in the 200-meter dash entering his senior season.

Newman attended Kansas State University, where he played as a defensive back for head coach Bill Snyder's Kansas State Wildcats football from 1998 to 2002. His first two seasons he was a backup, until he became a starter and a second-team Big 12 selection as a junior. During his college career he was also a special teams returner (second player in team history to score on a kickoff and punt return in the same season) and was used sparingly as a wide receiver. He was also a member of the Wildcats track & field team.

He redshirted his first year in 1998, and then went on to play from 1999 to 2002.

Freshman year

Still a developing backup defensive back in his second year, Newman saw action in all 11 games as a freshman in 1999. He became an outstanding special teams player, returning a 73-yard kickoff against Baylor. He snagged his first career interception in a 66-0 win over Missouri. He had an impressive spring game with 10 tackles, two passes broken up and an interception that he returned 18 yards.

Sophomore year

Newman played in all 14 games as a sophomore in 2000. He recorded a career-high five tackles, including career-high three solos vs. Louisiana Tech in his first career start. He scored a touchdown on a 16-yard blocked-punt against Oklahoma.

In track & field, Newman Finished third in the 60-meter dash (6.76s) at the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships, but posted a season-best of 6.72 seconds in the prelims, that rank 2nd all-time behind football teammate Aaron Lockett. He had a season-best time of 21.34 seconds in the 200-meter dash, and was a member of the Wildcats' 4x100m relay team that placed fifth at Big 12 Championships.

Junior year

As a junior in 2001, Newman was a second team All-Big 12 selection by the coaches, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Waco Tribune-Herald, and also an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection by the Associated Press (AP). He was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back of the year. He shared the Most Improved Defensive Player award with Terry Pierce. He started all 11 games at cornerback, and was just one of eight Wildcats to start all 11 games at the same position. He ranked fifth in the Big 12 and 16th in the nation in passes defended with 19. He was tabbed as coaches' Special Teams Player of the Game three times (USC, Texas A&M and Louisiana Tech). He ranked fifth on the team with 51 total tackles, including 44 solo stops, led the team with 14 PBUs and two blocked kicks and was third with three interceptions. He had an impressive all-around day against Oklahoma, picking off two passes and defending seven more to go with six solo tackles, leading this to be named the Defensive Player of the Game by the Kansas State coaches. He tied a season-high with seven tackles and blocked his second kick of the season vs. Nebraska. Against Missouri, he got his third interception of the season and also added three other PBUs and five tackles. Newman also server ad a kick returner, and ranks second behind Aaron Lockett in returns, yards and average, totalling 211 yards on nine kickoffs with a 23.4 yards per return average. He also tallied a season-best 81 return yards on two carries against Missouri.

In track & field, Newman was just one of two athletes to represent Kansas State's men's team at the NCAA Indoor Nationals, where he finished 15th in the 60 meters. He set a pair of school records for the Wildcats at the 2001 Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships, running a 6.67 in the 60-meter dash semifinals to break the old mark of 6.69 set in 1999 by football teammate Aaron Lockett, while also setting Kansas State's indoor 200-meter dash record with a time of 21.17 seconds. He earned NCAA Outdoor All-American honors in the 100 meters after finishing 12th in a time of 10.49 seconds at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships. He was the Big 12 Outdoor Champion in 100-meter dash with a mark of 10.29 seconds, and set a new school record with a 10.22 mark in qualifying for that event.

Senior year

As a senior in 2002, Newman recorded 54 tackles, five interceptions and 14 pass deflections. He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection, as well as the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous first-team All-American. He also won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back, and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player.

In track & field, Newman defended his Big 12 Outdoor Championship in the 100 meters with a win at Missouri (10.34s). He reached the NCAA semifinals in the 100m, but did not make the final rounds. He broke his own outdoor school record in the 100-meter dash after clocking a 10.20 at the Jim Click Shootout in his first outdoor meet of the year. He collected his first All-America honor by finishing fifth in the 60 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championship with a time of 6.67 seconds. He was the Big 12 Indoor Champion in the 60-meter dash, clocking a 6.65 in the finals after posting a school-record 6.62 in the prelims. He finished second in the 200 meters at the Big 12s with an NCAA provisional time of 21.42. He also won the 60 meters in 6.70 seconds at the KSU Open, his only regular-season appearance.

2003 NFL Combine

Dallas Cowboys

Newman was selected by the Dallas Cowboys fifth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. Entering the league as a 25-year-old rookie, he started all 16 games, making 76 tackles, one sack and four interceptions. Three of his interceptions came against the Washington Redskins, tying the team record for most picks in one game. The next year he started all sixteen games making 68 tackles and four interceptions.

Newman with the Cowboys in 2009.

In the 2005 season, he played in all 16 games making 59 tackles, one sack and three interceptions. He did not give up a single touchdown reception all season solidifying himself as a shut down corner and was also considered by head coach Bill Parcells as the best athlete on the roster. The next year he only gave up 2 touchdowns during the season and as a punt returner averaged 10.1 yards on 20 returns (fifth in NFC), including a 56-yard touchdown return against the Detroit Lions.

In 2007, he lost most of the preseason after being diagnosed with a torn plantar fascia in his right heel, which was an injury that he had to overcome throughout the year. He was inactive for the first two games and would later develop knee tendinitis. After battling these injuries, Newman was voted to the 2007 Pro Bowl, registering 50 tackles, four interceptions, 1 touchdown, 3 forced fumbles and 23 pass deflections. He played lockdown coverage all season allowing only sixteen receptions. After starting all 16 games each of his first four seasons, Newman started only 11 and missed three whole games due to injury. Three of his interceptions were game-changing plays. One interception preserved a win against the Washington Redskins, while another prevented a scoring drive from the Buffalo Bills which later allowed a game winning field goal by Nick Folk, and an interception for a touchdown against the New York Jets all but prevented any comeback attempt.

Newman agreed to a six-year, $50.2 million extension ($22.5 million of the contract was guaranteed over the first three years) on May 20, 2008. He missed all of training camp and three of the first 5 games with a diagnosed groin injury. On October 10, he underwent mid-season surgery on his groin. He returned in week 12 and though he was limited to 10 games on the year, he still was able to lead the team in interceptions (4).

In 2009, he was named to his second Pro Bowl after helping the team earn an 11-5 record and the NFC East Championship, while registering 3 interceptions and a career-high 21 passes defensed.

In 2010, his health and production started to decline. On October 25, he left the game against the New York Giants after being diagnosed with a rib muscle strain. His play deteriorated in the latter part of the year, while trying to fight through the injury. He still finished with a career-high 5 interceptions.

In 2011, he again suffered a groin injury in preseason that forced him to miss more than a month, returning until week 3 of the regular season. Even though he led the Cowboys in interceptions (4) for the fifth time in his career and recorded 10 passes defensed (tied for the team lead), his effectiveness was severely criticized during the year.

Newman was released in a salary cap move on March 13, 2012. He led the Cowboys in interceptions five seasons, tying him with Everson Walls for the most in franchise history. He scored three touchdowns with the Cowboys. The first came in the final game of the 2006 season against the Detroit Lions, on a punt return. The second occurred on Thanksgiving Day 2007 against the New York Jets. Newman intercepted Kellen Clemens and returned it fifty yards for the score. The third was in week three of the 2009 season, returning a 27 yard interception off an attempted Jake Delhomme pass to wide receiver Steve Smith.

Cincinnati Bengals

Newman signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals on April 11, 2012, reuniting him with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Although he was originally signed to play safety, he eventually was moved to cornerback, started 15 games and was a key contributor to the league's ninth-ranked pass defense. He registered 75 tackles (53 solo), 14 passes defensed (led the team), 2 interceptions, a forced fumble, and 2 fumble returns.

He signed a new five-million dollar contract with the Bengals on April 1, 2013. He finished the season with 51 tackles, 2 interceptions, 14 passes defensed (second on team) and a fumble return for a touchdown. He missed the last three games and playoffs with a knee injury. The next year he registered 71 tackles (fifth on the team), 14 passes defensed (led the team) and one interception.

Minnesota Vikings

Newman with the Vikings in 2015

On March 27, 2015, Newman signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings, reuniting with head coach Mike Zimmer. He played under Zimmer with the Dallas Cowboys (2003-2006), Cincinnati Bengals (2013-2014), and now the Minnesota Vikings (2015-Present). In preseason he earned the left cornerback starter job over first round draft choice Trae Waynes.

He started all 16 games for the 7th time in his career and led the team with 3 interceptions and 12 passes defended. In week 8, he tied a career-high with a team-best 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assisted) in the Vikings' win over the Chicago Bears. In the Vikings' 30-14 win over the Raiders in Week 10, Newman intercepted two passes (joining Deion Sanders as the only cornerbacks with a 2-interception game at age 37) and finished with five total tackles and five passes defended. His interception of Derek Carr in the end zone set up Adrian Peterson's back-breaking 80-yard touchdown run. Newman was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his sixth career multi-interception game, marking the second time in Newman's 13-year career that he has won this award, with his first coming after a three interception performance at Washington during his rookie season in 2003. Newman was the third straight Viking to win an NFC player of the week award (Marcus Sherels and Linval Joseph) and became the first Vikings defensive back to win the award since Antoine Winfield in 2010.

On November 29, he recorded his 40th career interception in the end zone off Matt Ryan against the Atlanta Falcons. With both Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo out with injuries he started 2 games at safety.

In 2015, with the retirement of the Oakland Raiders' Charles Woodson, Newman ranked second on the active interceptions list, three behind the Washington Redskins' DeAngelo Hall for the 2016 season.

On March 18, 2016, Newman signed a 1-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings worth $2.5 million with $1.1 million guaranteed.

NFL record

• One of two cornerbacks to have 2 INT's in a single game at the age of 37: Deion Sanders, 2004

Career stats