Filed Under » Gene Chizik

Embattled former Auburn football legends Cam Newton and Gene Chizik reportedly have run off together to a remote beach town in Mexico where they hope to live out their days far away from their many critics.

The seemingly rash decision is the end of a precipitous slide. The duo seemed to have control of the football world in 2010 when they guided Auburn to a 14-0 record and a national championship. Newton then left for the NFL — where he had statistical, but not wins and losses success — in 2011, while Chizik's Tigers slid to an 8-5 record. The 2012 season has been far worse. Newton and Chizik have a combined 2-13 record and both have received heavy criticism nationally and from their own fanbase.

But they will no longer hear those attacks, because today the two men stand carefree on a beautiful remote beach 2,000 miles from Auburn, Ala., completely anonymous.

"I knew Cam had been talking to Chizik lately and they were talking about all the good times they had and how they were better off together," said Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith. "I guess those conversations developed to this. Cam has to live his own life, but I think he'll regret this. Chizik seems like he would get pretty boring and predictable after 10 minutes, let alone 30 or 40 years."