Payton Thorne Says Auburn Fans Are Sending Him Venmo Requests After Losses

Auburn football fell at home to Cal this past weekend 21-14, and some Tiger fans aren't just sulking in their misery, they're taking action.

Quarterback Payton Thorne, who is in his second season with Auburn, joined ‘The Next Round’ on Tuesday morning to not only reflect on his team's struggles against the Golden Bears, but also explain his interactions with fans after the team fell to 1-1 on the year Saturday.

Some fans aren't just upset about Auburn's very obvious issues, they're seeking payment by sending Thorne requests on Venmo.

"You hear it verbally. That’s probably the least one. But, just walking down the street, you hear it sometimes. And then, obviously the social media, they hit you on Venmo, all types of stuff," Thorne explained nonchalantly.

"You just have to block it out. You have to go back to where your foundation is in your life. And for me, that’s my faith and my family. So just doing that, but also just keeping the focus on what’s next. Like I said, there’s nothing we can do about Saturday, but I can handle today."

The quick comment about getting Venmo requests from angry fans didn't completely fly over the heads of the show's hosts. Thorne made it clear that he's not receiving money on the cash-sharing app, but getting requests to pay out gambling losses from those who may or may not have wagered on the Tigers to beat Cal.

"They’re definitely not sending cash," Thorne explained. "It’s funny. When they lose money, they want their money back but when they win money on a parlay, no one’s ever sent me any of the money."

Thorne undoubtedly has plenty of NIL money coming in as a starting quarterback in the SEC, so some fans may want a cut of that pie as well after bad losses at home.

Thorne was flat-out bad against Cal on Saturday as he completed just 14 of his 27 pass attempts to go along with one touchdown through the air, one on the ground, and four interceptions. 

The Illinois native, who transferred to Auburn after playing at Michigan State, has been tapped by head coach Hugh Freeze as ‘the guy’ for the Tigers, but he hasn't shown too many reasons for the Auburn faithful to be confident.

The Tigers get New Mexico at home this weekend before opening up SEC play against Arkansas the following weekend.

Auburn has a Top 5 recruiting class on the books for 2025, but 2024 looks rather grim at the moment. Freeze will need to rally the Tigers down the stretch if he doesn't want to have a scorching seat heading into what will be a make-or-break campaign next year.