Palmer cast Heisman vote for Auburn's Newton

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said Thursday he gave Auburn’s Cam Newton his top vote for the Heisman Trophy, which will be awarded Saturday in New York. He said the off-the-field controversies surrounding Newton did not play a role.

Palmer has a Heisman vote as a past winner of the award.

“It was right about the time he was cleared by the NCAA, and being a USC guy and seeing how thorough they can be and how meticulous they can be with the whole Reggie Bush situation, as strict as they were in that case, I’m sure they handled it and attacked it the same way they did Reggie Bush and the same way they did Cam Newton,” Palmer told The Cincinnati Enquirer.

“As long as they cleared him, he’s not guilty. That’s the way I looked at it.”