In the 2011 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers selected Cam Newton with the first overall pick. His name was called, he walked across the stage, and he proceeded to shake commissioner Roger Goodell's hand with a big smile on his face. He was off to Charlotte to put an entire city on his back.
Five years into his NFL career, Newton has led the Panthers to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2003 season. He is just one victory shy of making history:
The former Auburn star could become the first quarterback and second player to win a Heisman Trophy, college football national championship, NFL MVP award and Super Bowl.
Here is a look at the one player who has achieved all four, as well as those who were able to check three off that list:
Heisman Trophy, national title, Super Bowl and AP NFL MVP
Marcus Allen: USC Trojans (1978 national title, 1981 Heisman), Los Angeles Raiders (1983 Super Bowl, 1985 MVP)
Allen was one of the greatest running backs the NFL has ever seen. He was the first player in college football history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, which he did during his Heisman-winning year in 1981 (2,342 rushing yards, 23 touchdowns). Allen's USC team won the national championship in 1978, his freshman year, when he served as a backup to then-All-American running back Charles White. Allen was drafted by the Raiders in 1982 and won the Super Bowl just one season later in 1983, when he was also named Super Bowl MVP. The six-time Pro Bowler then won league MVP in 1985 after rushing for 1,759 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground and catching 67 receptions for 555 yards and three touchdowns.
Heisman Trophy, national title and Super Bowl
Charles Woodson: Michigan Wolverines (1997 Heisman and national title), Green Bay Packers (2010 Super Bowl)
We just witnessed Woodson's last season as an NFL player, and he definitely left his mark on the game of football. Michigan's only national title in the past 67 years came in 1997, when Woodson did it all for the Wolverines. He returned punts, played cornerback and even lined up as a wide receiver from time to time. He remains the only defensive player in college football history to win the Heisman -- a remarkable achievement in and of itself. Woodson was drafted fourth overall by the Raiders in 1998 and spent eight years in Oakland before being signed by the Packers in 2006. He had the luxury of playing on teams led by quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. In 2010, he won his first and only Super Bowl as a member of the Packers. The nine-time Pro Bowler is the only player in NFL history with at least 60 interceptions (65) and 20 sacks (20).
Tony Dorsett: Pittsburgh Panthers (1976 Heisman and national title), Dallas Cowboys (1977 Super Bowl)
Dorsett was the first player in history to win a national title in one season (1976) and a Super Bowl the next (1977). He won the Heisman during that national championship season, after leading the nation in rushing yards with 2,150. He is a historic figure in the sports world, and he was voted by ESPN as one of the top 25 college football players ever. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.
Reggie Bush: USC Trojans (2005 Heisman and national title), New Orleans Saints (2009 Super Bowl)
We might not see another Reggie Bush in college football. He was explosive from the running back position and was a perfect fit in then-USC head coach Pete Carroll's system. Bush finished his senior season at USC with 1,740 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns while catching 37 passes for 478 yards and two touchdowns. The Trojans won the national championship in both 2003 and 2004, during Bush's freshman and sophomore seasons. They were on the brink of winning a third straight title in 2005 but ran up against Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns in the Rose Bowl. Bush won the Heisman in the 2005 season but had the award stripped because of violation of NCAA policies. He was drafted second overall by the Saints in 2006 and won a Super Bowl with New Orleans in 2009.
Heisman Trophy, national title and AP NFL MVP
O.J. Simpson: USC Trojans (1968 Heisman, 1967 national title), Buffalo Bills (1973 MVP)
His post-NFL life has overshadowed his football achievements, but during his career, Simpson was one of the most successful running backs out there. He played his college ball at USC, where he won a national title his junior season and the Heisman the year after. He finished his senior season with a total of 1,880 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. The Bills drafted him first overall in 1969, but he struggled early on in his career. He didn't crack the 1,000-yard mark until his fourth season (1,251), but he was named league MVP in 1973, after becoming the first NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards (2,003). He remains the only player to do so in a 14-game span.
Heisman Trophy, Super Bowl and AP NFL MVP
Paul Hornung: Notre Dame (1956 Heisman), Green Bay Packers (1966 Super Bowl, 1961 MVP)
In college, Hornung played offense and defense and even kicked field goals. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1956, after passing for 917 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 420 yards and six touchdowns. But it wasn't the stats that won the award; it was his ability to do some of everything on the field. Notre Dame finished just 2-8 that season, but he led his team in passing, rushing, punting and kickoff and punt return yards. He is the only player to win the Heisman on a team that had a losing record. He was drafted first overall by the Packers in 1957, and he eventually became the team's running back and field goal kicker. In 1961, he was named NFL MVP after accumulating 742 total yards and 10 touchdowns while making eight of nine field goal attempts. The Packers won the NFL's first Super Bowl in 1966, despite Hornung missing the game due to a pinched nerve. Prior to that, the Packers won NFL championships in 1961, 1962 and 1965.
National title, Super Bowl and AP NFL MVP
Tom Brady: Michigan Wolverines (1997 national title), New England Patriots (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2014 Super Bowls, 2007 and 2010 MVPs)
Brady is a four-time Super Bowl champion, two-time NFL MVP, three-time Super Bowl MVP and 11-time Pro Bowler. At Michigan, he won a national championship in 1997, even though he was the backup to Brian Griese. Brady took over as the starter during his junior and senior seasons, but didn't put up stellar numbers. We know the rest: The Patriots took him in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, at 199th overall, and he went on to throw for more than 4,000 yards in eight of his 15 seasons as a starter, including each of the past five. He has thrown at least 30 touchdown passes six times in his career, headlined by a 50-touchdown season in 2007, which is second in NFL history behind Peyton Manning's 55-TD year.
Joe Montana: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1977 national title), San Francisco 49ers (1981, 1984, 1988 and 1989 Super Bowls, 1989 and 1990 MVPs)
Like Brady, Montana is a four-time Super Bowl champ, two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl MVP. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. As a junior in 1977, Montana led Notre Dame to nine straight victories and a national title. The 49ers selected Montana 82nd overall in the 1979 NFL draft, and he became a full-time starter in his third season (1981). San Francisco won its first Super Bowl that year, after finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record. At the time, Montana joined Joe Namath as the only quarterbacks to win a national title and Super Bowl. He went on to lead the Niners to three more championships in 1984, 1988 and 1989.
Ken Stabler: Alabama Crimson Tide (1964, 1965 national titles), Oakland Raiders (1976 Super Bowl, 1974 MVP)
Stabler was a part of Alabama teams that won national titles in 1964 and 1965. He was ineligible to play during his freshman year, due to NCAA regulations, and he backed up Steve Sloan his sophomore season. He was drafted by the Raiders in 1968 but spent his first two seasons playing in the Continental Football League. Stabler eventually became the Raiders' starting quarterback under Hall of Fame head coach John Madden. He won league MVP in 1974 after passing for 2,469 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He won his one and only Super Bowl in 1976, when the Raiders topped the Minnesota Vikings 32-14. Stabler died on July 8, 2015, but he'll forever be remembered as one of the greatest Raiders ever. He also spent time with the Houston Oilers (1980-81) and New Orleans Saints (1982-84).
Stats provided by ESPN Stats & Information.