{"id":691201,"date":"2026-05-24T19:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/691201\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T19:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:37:09","slug":"former-auburn-tigers-qb-leaves-cfl-team-put-on-suspended-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/691201\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Auburn Tigers QB Leaves CFL Team, Put on Suspended List"},"content":{"rendered":"

The professional career of former Auburn Tigers<\/a> quarterback Payton Thorne seems to have turned over a new leaf, as on Thursday, the Canadian Football League\u2019s Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced that Thorne had been put on the team\u2019s suspended list<\/a> after choosing to leave the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a great kid,\u201d said Blue Bombers head coach Mike O\u2019Shea<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s really smart. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s got a future in football still, it\u2019s just this is what he had to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

We have transferred American quarterback Payton Thorne to the suspended list. #ForTheW<\/a> | @canadalifeco<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/x1xRSJxnht<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) May 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Thorne was a three-star prospect<\/a> when he initially signed with Michigan State in 2019, where he spent three years before transferring to Auburn to play for an additional two years. With the Spartans, Thorne threw for 6,501 yards, 49 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.<\/p>\n

With the Tigers, Thorne started for two years under head coach Hugh Freeze, where he passed for 4,468 yards, 37 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over the course of two seasons that have largely been deemed as failures for the Tigers.<\/p>\n

Thorne\u2019s image at Auburn is largely marred by the several interceptions he struggled with, particularly in key moments. However, he was a piece of the team that last caused the Auburn faithful to storm the field, in a 43-41 four-overtime thriller against the Texas A&M Aggies in 2024.<\/p>\n

After college, Thorne went undrafted and was picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he never logged a snap before making the decision to move to the CFL. Now, he has no affiliation, but O\u2019Shea seems confident that Thorne has something in store.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also am genuinely excited if somebody has things figured out enough that this is the decision they make because it\u2019s not an easy decision,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd there are guys I disagree with when I say, \u2018I don\u2019t think you\u2019re doing the right thing.\u2019 But they\u2019re all individual conversations. You can\u2019t lump them all in together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thorne has had quite a unique career to say the least, but he has shown flashes of top-level play that professional teams could develop into something special, provided he is able to find another team. Though Thorne never played a snap for the Blue Bombers, his head coach is confident that this is not the end of the road for the 24-year-old.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s done with football yet,\u201d O\u2019Shea said.<\/p>\n

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