Former Wildcats star Terence Newman has been selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class. Newman, who starred at Kansas State from 1999 to 2002, is among 18 former players chosen for this year’s class. He will be inducted during a ceremony scheduled for Dec. 8 in Las Vegas.
Newman joins an elite group in the 2026 class that includes former standouts such as Mark Ingram, Ndamukong Suh, Marvin Harrison, Aaron Donald and Peter Warrick. He becomes the fifth former Kansas State player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Darren Sproles, Gary Spani, Mark Simoneau and Charles Bachman. Legendary K-State coaches Bill Snyder and Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf are also Hall of Fame members.
A Salina native, Newman arrived in Manhattan as a highly regarded recruit and quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier defensive backs. Known for his ability to shut down receivers and make game-changing plays on special teams, Newman capped his college career as a unanimous first-team All-American in 2002. That same season, he won the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the country’s top defensive back.
During Newman’s four seasons at Kansas State, the Wildcats won 39 games, including three 11-win campaigns and four bowl appearances. He finished his college career with 134 tackles, 41 passes defended, 10 interceptions, two blocked kicks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He also excelled as a return specialist, totaling 417 punt-return yards with three touchdowns and 834 kickoff-return yards with one score.
In addition to football, Newman was a standout in track and field, earning two All-American honors and winning Big 12 outdoor championships in the 100 meters in both 2001 and 2002.
Newman went on to enjoy a 15-year NFL career after being selected fifth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2003 NFL Draft. He later played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings and earned two Pro Bowl selections during his professional career.
