Heisman Trophy Winners Who Couldn’t Keep Up In The NFL
Every year, the Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded to the most impressive player in NCAA football. The trophy is supposed to indicate who will go on to become a football superstar. A lot of the winners of this prestigious trophy go on to excel at the next level, while some winners have disappointed us.
This trophy definitely comes with a lot of added pressure. All of the players on this list did well at the college level, but they weren't able to replicate their success in the NFL.
Archie Griffin Lost His Mojo
Archie Griffin was a star with the Ohio State Buckeyes. At the time, he was college football's only two-time Heisman winner. In 1976 he joined the NFL as the Cincinnati Bengals' first draft pick.
He played with the Bengals for seven seasons but failed to record a 700-yard season. Griffin did end up playing in Super Bowl XVI in 1981 despite his mediocre performance. Whatever mojo he had in college doesn't didn't translate to the NFL.
Tim Tebow Turned To Baseball
Tim Tebow has become a household name in recent years, but that's more because of his signature bow than it is because of his football abilities. Tebow was the 2007 Heisman winner who was selected to play on the Denver Broncos in 2010. He had one very impressive touchdown pass in 2011, but other than that, his performance on the team was underwhelming.
Tebow is now pursuing a professional baseball career with the New York Mets.
Joe Bellino Went To The Patriots
Navy alum Joe Bellino rushed for 834 yards and caught 15 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns in college. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1960.
IN 1961, the Washington Redskins drafted him in the 17th round of the NFL Draft as did the Boston Patriots of the AFL Draft. Bellino decided that the Patriots were a better fit for him. He played three seasons with the Patriots as a kick returner. Unfortunately, he didn't live up to the hype.
Carson Palmer Couldn't Live Up To The Hype
Carson Palmer was certainly a good NFL quarterback, but he didn't live up to the hype that comes along with winning the Heisman Trophy. Palmer was drafted by the Bengals, where he put up big numbers, but could never win the big game.
Eventually, Palmer went to Arizona, where he made it as far as the NFC Championship Game. At that point, he crumbled under the pressure of the game and the trophy. We think he has a real talent for being a flamingo, though.
Andre Ware Got Exported To Canada
Andre Ware did extremely well in his junior season at Houston. He set college records by throwing for 4,699 yards as well as 46 touchdowns. Even though his college teammates thought he was the real deal, he got lost in the shuffle in the NFL.
Ware joined the Detroit Lions as their first draft pick in 1990. He stayed on the bench for four seasons and eventually ended up playing in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts.
Jameis Winston Has A Big Personality
Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy in his freshman year of college. He has a big arm and a big personality, but his career in the NFL has so far fallen flat. He couldn't bring his skill out of college and into the big leagues.
Winston seems to always give the ball away in the NFL. This kid needs to stop fumbling if he's ever going to see success. Maybe he'll have better luck with Tampa Bay or whoever he plays for next.
Gary Beban Didn't Get Much Playing Time
Beban helped the UCLA Bruins finish with a 7-2-1 record in 1967. His performance earned him the prestigious Heisman Trophy. In 1967 he was a second-round draft pick for the Rams. The next year, he was traded to the Redskins.
Beban played for Washington for two seasons but he wasn't given much playing time. He was playing alongside future Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen who got more time in the limelight. Eventually, Beban signed to the Broncos, but then he immediately retired.
Ty Detmer Performed Well In College
In 1990, Ty Detmer had one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in college football history. The BYU alum threw for 5,188 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in 12 games.
He won the Heisman Trophy and earned a reputation as a star player. Even though he had played well in college, several analysts said that he was too small for the NFL. He was picked in the ninth draft round by the Green Bay Packers, but the packers also got Brett Farve. Detmer was doomed to always be a backup.
Terry Baker Didn't Get Any Time On The Field
Terry Baker played as a quarterback for Oregon State. He led the team to a 9-2 record in his senior season. He would finish his college career with 3,476 yards and 23 touchdown passes. Baker was picked first by the Los Angeles Rams for the 1963 season.
The Rams barely played Baker, though. Eventually, Baker became the team's running back— a position he played with very little success. After three seasons in the NFL, Baker headed to the CFL to play for the Edmonton Eskimos.
Pat Sullivan Turned To Coaching
While at Auburn, Pat Sullivan was a fantastic quarterback. In 1970, he led the NCAA in total offense and in 30 games as a Tiger, he threw for 6,284 yards and 53 touchdowns. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1971. The Atlanta Falcons drafted him as a second-round pick.
He mostly served as the team's backup for four seasons. He eventually moved to the CFL to play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. After that, Sullivan turned to coaching, becoming the head coach at Samford University.
Rashaan Salaam Couldn't Stop Fumbling
In 1994, the running back had one of the best seasons at his position. He became the fourth major college player to top over 2,000 yards, and he scored three touchdowns against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Chicago Bears would use their 21st pick to draft Salaam, and his rookie season was a promising one at that. However, Salaam was notorious for fumbling, and he ended up breaking his leg and tearing an ankle ligament. He tried to come back a few times but ended up in the XFL.
John Huarte Had One Good Season
Huarte's Notre Dame career only had one good season. In his senior year, he became the Fighting Irish's starting quarterback and won all but one game during the 1964 season. Following his Heisman season, the Anaheim native was drafted by both pro football leagues.
He would sign with the AFL's New York Jets over the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. However, he was beaten out of the starting spot by Joe Namath, who finished eleventh in Heisman voting. Huarte did see action as a backup quarterback from 1966 to 1972.
Matt Leinart Became An Analyst
In 2004, the USC Trojans started the quarterback in his junior season. He would win the Heisman over teammate Reggie Bush, Oklahoma running back Adrian Petersen, and Utah's Alex Smith. Leinart was considered one of the top prospects of the 2006 NFL Draft and the Arizona Cardinals drafted him tenth overall.
He would spend four seasons in the desert before playing in Houston, Oakland, and Buffalo. Leinart signed a deal with the Pac-12 Network as a studio analyst in 2014.
Gino Torretta Was Picked Up By The Lions
NFL teams weren't too keen on the quarterback at the 1993 draft. After falling to the seventh round, the Minnesota Vikings picked him up. He failed to play at all after being drafted, and eventually, he was picked up by the Lions.
His only chance to play in an NFL game came during the 1996 season finale. He came off the bench for the Seattle Seahawks and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway, leading the team to victory.
Danny Wuerffel Retired In 2004
The 1996 Heisman winner was in the NFL for six seasons. After graduating from Florida, the New Orleans Saints drafted him in the fourth round. During his six-year career, he played for four different teams, finding limited success as a backup and an occasional starter.
In 2000, the Florida native would spend a season in NFL Europe, helping the Rhein Fire to a league championship. Plus, he was named MVP of the World Bowl. Wuerffel last played professionally with the Redskins in 2002, retiring in 2004.
Ron Dayne Couldn't Take Home The Win
The 1999 Heisman winner is the all-time leader in rushing yards in NCAA Division I FBS history. Dayne would be the 11th selection of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
Teaming up with Tiki Barber in the backfield, the combination of Dayne's power and Barber's speed became known as "Thunder and Lightning." Over the next few seasons, Dayne's carries slowly diminished, but he did play in Super Bowl XXXV, losing to the Baltimore Ravens.
Chris Weinke Turned To Coaching
The Florida State quarterback won the award in 2000. Weinke would become the starter for the Carolina Panthers in 2001, but it was a season to forget. The Panthers accumulated an atrocious 1-15 record. After the season, he was demoted to the backup to Jake Delhomme.
Weinke wouldn't make another start in the NFL until 2006, in place of an injured Delhomme. Following brief stints in San Francisco and Cleveland, Weinke turned to coaching, where he's worked with the Alabama and Tennessee coaching staffs.
Eric Crouch Moved From Team To Team
The 2001 Heisman winner was seen as a better wide receiver than a quarterback. Crouch was a third-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in 2002, but never saw a down in a regular season. He would bounce around numerous teams and leagues.
In addition to the NFL, the Nebraska alum played safety for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe. His chance to play quarterback came when he signed with the Argos of the CFL, but he was the fourth-stringer behind Damon Allen.
Jason White Went To The NBA
The 2003 Heisman winner led the Oklahoma Sooners to back-to-back National Championship Games. Despite a strong showing in college, the Sooners lost in both games. White was not selected for the NFL Draft and he didn't receive any tryout from any NFL team in the first several weeks following the post-draft free agency.
He became the third Heisman recipient to not be drafted in the NFL after Pete Dawkins chose the military and Charlie Ward chose to play in the NBA.
Troy Smith Went To The CFL
Smith was the recipient of the Heisman in 2006, beating out running back Darren McFadden. In 2007, the Baltimore Ravens drafted the quarterback in the fifth round, but he only starting in two games in three seasons.
Afterward, Smith started six games for the 49ers and was out of the NFL by 2010. In August 2013, Smith would sign a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Due to his poor play and Montreal's struggles, Smith was unconditionally released from his contract in October 2014.
Robert Griffin III Got Injured
The Baylor alum was the 2011 recipient of the Heisman Trophy. He was highly touted by the NFL scouts, and the Redskins dealt four picks to move up to the second in the 2012 draft.
The early results of the RGIII in Washington were outstanding, winning the NFC East Division along the way. However, a late-season knee injury damaged the Redskins playoff hopes. It went all downhill from there on. His struggles continued as he was released after the 2015 season.
Johnny Manziel Took A Break From Football
The Browns traded up to the 22nd slot to draft for the 2011 Heisman winner. "Johnny Football" was expected to breathe life into a disgruntled Cleveland franchise. Instead, Manziel's career was nothing more than some on-field moments as well as off-field drama.
His sophomore season was wasted following a stint in rehab in 2015. The Browns would move on from the quarterback as Manziel spent two years away from football. In 2018, he joined the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats before being traded to the Alouettes during the season.
Marcus Mariota Got Injured
With such a prolific career at Oregon, it's shocking that Marcus Mariota hasn't seen more success in the NFL. Drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the draft, the quarterback has failed to consistently find open receivers downfield.
The biggest problem for Mariota, however, has been his inability to stay healthy. He has fallen victim to numerous injuries in his NFL career, which has hurt his development as a passer. Not 30 years old yet, the good news is that there is still time for Mariota to turn things around.
Sam Bradford Earned A Big Paycheck
In the history of the NFL, it's possible that no player has profited more off his Heisman win than Sam Bradford. Playing for Oklahoma, he was considered a can't-miss prospect coming out of college. After a sensational rookie season in the NFL, the trouble began.
Bradford tore his ACL, and couldn't get rid of the injury bug after he recovered. Still, because of his unquestioned potential, he kept cashing in on big contracts, earning over $100 million in his career.
Charlie Ward Went To The NBA
Charlie Ward had his choice of careers when he left college. He could have played in the NFL or the NBA. He chose the latter, earning his place on this list. Ward was full of potential, and decided the NBA was where he could make the most of it.
Does he deserve to be on this list when he never actually played a down in the NFL? From a fan's perspective, the answer is yes. We watch college stars and wonder how could they could be on our team. The fact that Ward never ended up on a team is what's really disappointing.
Vinny Testaverde Played On Seven Different Teams
Vinny Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy as a senior playing for Miami in 1986. He was then drafted with the first overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. By the time he retired, Testaverde had played for seven different franchises.
His best years in the NFL were spent with the New York Jets, where he led the team to a 12-4 record in 1998 and playoff berth. He ended his career with 275 touchdown passes and 267 interceptions.
Mark Ingram Failed The Ravens
Another solid NFL player who has failed to live up to the hype is Mark Ingram. After playing in the NFL for nearly a decade, the hard runner has only eclipsed 1,000 yards in a season twice.
Even more concerning is that Ingram has only played a full 16 game schedule three times. In 2019 he signed with the Baltimore Ravens, where his workload will be even more limited. He might play all 16 games, but he won't get close to 1,000 yards.
Desmond Howard Had A Disappointing Career
Desmond Howard played his college ball at Michigan and won the Heisman as a junior in 1991. All the talent in the world couldn't save him from having one of the most disappointing careers on this list.
Playing for the Washington Redskins, Howard's best year came in 1994. He caught 40 balls for 727 yards and scored five touchdowns. If he had never won the Heisman those numbers might look okay. Since he did win the award, though, we expected to see at least one 1,000 yard season.
Mike Rozier Played For The Maulers
Mike Rozier left college as one of the most decorated amateur athletes of all time. He won the Heisman Trophy as a senior, putting a feather in the cap of his college hall of fame career. His time spent in the NFL would not be seen in the same light.
Before entering the league, Rozier spent two years in the United States Football League playing for the Pittsburgh Maulers. When he transitioned to the NFL, he only managed to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season once.
George Rogers Only Played For Seven Years
In seven seasons in the NFL, George Rogers rushed for 7,176 yards. He scorched the league with more than 1,600 as a rookie. So why does the 1980 Heisman winner make this list? Because he only played for seven years.
Part of being successful in the NFL is having longevity. Rogers, while he was amazing on the field, had trouble staying healthy. When he announced he was retiring after the 1987 season, he cited his aching body as the reason why.
Charles White Was A Disappointment
Charles White took home the Heisman Trophy as a senior out of USC in 1979. Following his big win he was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. For the next four years he disappointed the fans and his coaches, rushing for a total of 942 yards.
After leaving the Browns, White signed with the Los Angeles Rams, where he led the league in rushing once. During his time in the NFL, he also competed on American Gladiators, winning both times he appeared.
Billy Sims Had A Career-Ending Injury
Another athlete who's career was stalled by injury, Billy Sims spent five strong seasons in the NFL before blowing out his knee. At the time, the injury was career ending. In today's game, modern medicine would have given him a chance to finish what he started.
Sim was drafted by the Detroit Lions and revitalized the team for five seasons. He made the Pro Bowl three times and ran the team to the playoffs twice. He retired with 5,106 yards and 42 touchdowns.
John Cappelletti Had A Groin Injury
John Cappelletti was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1974 after winning the Heisman Trophy at Penn State. His career lasted ten seasons, although one was lost to a nagging groin injury. He never rushed for 1,000 yards.
Cappelletti's best season came in 1976, when he carried the ball 177 times for 688 yards. The next year he carried the ball 178 times, but only rushed for 588 yards. He retired after only playing in one game during the 1983 season.
Johnny Rodgers Had A Freak Knee Injury
Johnny Rodgers was taken in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, where he was expected to contribute right away. Instead, he spurned the Chargers and signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
Rodgers played for the Alouettes for four years before finally making his NFL debut. Unfortunately, he only spent one injury-riddled season in the NFL when a freak knee injury forced him to retire very young.
Steve Spurrier Couldn't Impress Coaches
Known more for his coaching career than his playing career, Steve Spurrier was a bust when he entered the NFL after winning the Heisman Trophy. Taken with the third overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the 49ers, he was supposed to lead the team out of their misery.
Spurrier got a handful of starts but never impressed the coaches enough to take over the job full-time. In ten seasons, Spurrier started 38 games and threw more interceptions than touchdowns.
