Analysis. History. Perspective.

Sports Then and Now



Heisman Trophy is No Guarantee For NFL Success 10

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Dean Hybl
After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1966, Steve Spurrier spent a decade in the NFL primarily as a backup quarterback.

After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1966, Steve Spurrier spent a decade in the NFL primarily as a backup quarterback.

There are five talented college players being considered for the prestigious Heisman Trophy this week. However, if any of them truly want to have a long and successful NFL career they might want to hope that someone else’s name gets called on Saturday night.

Since the Heisman Trophy was first awarded in 1935, it has gained a somewhat notorious reputation for being a harbinger of NFL futility, rather than NFL success.

Of the 73 men who have won the award, only eight have gone on to earn induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In fact, the number of Heisman winners who could be branded as NFL “busts” is significantly greater than the number who went on to be immortalized with a “bust” in Canton.

There are many reasons for this intriguing circumstance.

In the early years of the award, the NFL was still growing and salaries were sometimes less than players could earn in other careers.

The first Heisman winner, Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago, was the first pick in the first-ever NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Berwanger chose not to pursue an NFL career and never suited up as a professional. Read the rest of this entry →

Nile Kinnick: An All-American Hero 8

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Dean Hybl
Nile Kinnick

Nile Kinnick

In preparation for the start of college football season, we recognize as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Week a former Heisman Trophy winner who was more than just a football hero; he was an American Hero.

It was 70 years ago that Nile Kinnick Jr. led the Iowa Hawkeyes to an improbable run into the national Top 10.

Read the rest of this entry →

  • Vintage Athlete of the Month

    • Archie Griffin: 2-Time Heisman Winner
      December 11, 2022 | 1:42 pm
      Archie Griffin

      The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is the only football player ever to capture college football’s top individual award twice.

      As a star running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Archie Griffin claimed the Heisman Trophy during his junior season in 1974 and then was able to repeat the honor the following season.

      Griffin joined the Buckeyes for the 1972 season, which happened to be the first in which freshmen were eligible to play varsity football, and made an immediate impact. After fumbling in his only carry of his first game, Griffin more than made up for it in his second game by rushing for 237 yards against North Carolina. By the end of the season, Griffin had rushed for 867 yards.

      Read more »

    • RSSArchive for Vintage Athlete of the Month »
  • Follow Us Online

  • Current Poll

    Who Will Win the 2024 World Series?

    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...
  • Post Categories



↑ Top