The Heisman Memorial Trophy is handed out to the greatest player in the world of NCAA football. It must be a huge honor to receive it, but the recipient has to deal with a lot of pressure. More often than not, it goes to a player from the best college football programs. Even though some of them kept impressing football fans in the big leagues, others did not meet their expectations. In this list, you will see players who brought home the award but did not play as well in the NFL.
Joe Bellino
The Navy alum was known to be versatile on the football field. He had 834 running yards, as well as 15 passes for 264 yards. In 1960, the halfback brought home the Heisman Trophy even though the team lost his last game in the Orange Bowl. In the NFL, the Washington Redskins picked Joe Bellino during the 17th round of the 1961 NFL Draft. The Boston Patriots also picked him at the AFL Draft. He decided to commit to the former and played as a kick returner for a few seasons. His loyalty to the Navy is what made him the lowest drafted Heisman Trophy awardee in the history of the NFL.
Joe Bellino
Gary Beban
The UCLA Bruins ended the 1967 season with a record of 7-2-1. Gary Beban scored eight touchdowns and rushed for 1,359 yards. The year after that, he was a second-round draft pick by the Rams. Sadly, they traded him to the Redskins. He was with Washington for two seasons but did not get much playing time as a backup to Sonny Jurgensen. In 1970, the Redskins released him. He joined the Denver Broncos, but they put him on waivers. He ended up retiring not too long after that.
Gary Beban
John Huarte
When he was playing at Notre Dame, he only had one good season to his name. In his senior year, he served as the starting QB for the Fighting Irish and helped them win most of their games in 1964. After winning the Heisman, the two pro football leagues drafted him. He decided to turn down the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL and commit to the New York Jets of the AFL. Unfortunately for him, they gave the starting spot to Joe Namath instead. From 1966 to 1972, he was only the backup QB.
John Huarte
Ty Detmer
In 1990, this guy gave us one of the greatest seasons of any college football QB. The BYU alum had 5,188 rushing yards to his name and made 41 touchdowns in 12 games. He had a great junior year, but many thought he was too small for pro football. In the ninth round of the draft, the Green Bay Packers picked him. Ty Detmer was the backup to Brett Favre and went on to play for four more teams after that.
Ty Detmer
Terry Baker
As the quarterback, Terry Baker helped Oregon State reach its 9-2 record when he was a senior. He ended his college career with a record of 3,476 yards and 23 touchdown passes. The Los Angeles Rams made him the first overall pick during the draft in 1963. Unfortunately, he hardly saw action in his rookie season. They ended up switching him to the running back spot with little success. After three seasons, he left the NFL to join the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL instead.
Terry Baker
Pat Sullivan
There is no doubt that Pat Sullivan had been a great QB during his time at Auburn. His total offense was the best in the NCAA in 1970. Within 30 games, he rushed for 6,284 yards and made 53 touchdowns. In 1971, he brought home the Heisman Trophy. He was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons. For four seasons, he was on the bench. In the end, he joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL. After leaving the green, he became a coach. He was the head coach of Samford University for seven years.
Pat Sullivan
Rashaan Salaam
In 1944, Rashaan Salaam had one of the greatest seasons of running back in college football history. He even became the fourth major college player to exceed the 2,000-yard mark. At the Fiesta Bowl, he earned three touchdowns during a game against Notre Dame. The Chicago Bears took him in as their 21st pick. He had a promising rookie season, but he fumbled too much. In the end, he broke a leg and tore his ankle ligament. While he attempted a few comebacks, he later found himself in the XFL.
Rashaan Salaam
Andre Ware
In his senior year, Andre Ware made college record history with 4,699 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns. The Houston player skipped his senior year, so the scouts thought he was going to perform well in the NFL. In the end, he failed to reach his potential. He was a first-round pick of the Detroit Lions during the draft in 1990. Sadly, he was on the beach for four seasons. In 1995, he decided to instead play in the CFL. The good news is that he brought home the Grey Cup as a Toronto Argonauts player two years later.
Andre Ware
Matt Leinart
In his junior year, Matt Leinart was the starting QB of the USC Trojans. He brought home the Heisman Trophy, beating Adrian Petersen, Alex Smith, and Reggie Bush. At the 2006 NFL Draft, he was considered one of the top prospects of the year. The Arizona Cardinals drafted him as the tenth overall pick. He played for them for four seasons, but he later joined other teams like Buffalo, Oakland, and Houston. In 2014, he started working for the Pac-12 Network in the position of studio analyst.
Matt Leinart
Archie Griffin
The Ohio State Buckeye is the only college football program with a two-time Heisman winner. We are talking about none other than Archie Griffin. The Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL picked him in the first round of the 1976 draft. He had seven years in the pro league and spent all of them with the team. Sadly, he did not reach 700 rushing yards within a season. It was a rather mediocre run, but he played in the 1981 Super Bowl. After he retired, the Archie Griffin Award was started as the college MVP award.
Archie Griffin
Gino Torretta
The NFL was not upper keen on Gino Torretta during the NFL Draft of 1993. The Minnesota Vikings picked him in the seventh round. However, he was unable to play with the team. The Lions took him in not long after that. Sadly, he only got to play once in the league. This was for the 1996 season finale. During his time in Seattle, he threw a game-winning 32-yard touchdown pass to Joey Galloway.
Gino Torretta
Danny Wuerffel
The 1996 Heisman Trophy awardee was in the NFL for six seasons. A Florida alum, he was a fourth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints during the draft. He had a short career and spent some time in four teams. He also saw limited success as a backup and occasional starter. In 2000, he was in NFL Europe for one season but led the Rhein Fire to victory at the championship. Aside from that, he was named the MVP of the World Bowl. He started to play for the Redskins in 2002, but he retired after two years.
Danny Wuerffel
Ron Dayne
This 1999 Heisman Trophy winner holds the record for rushing yards in the NCAA Division I FBS history. The New York Giants swooped in on him at the 11th pick at the 2000 NFL Draft. He and Tiki Barber teamed up in the backfield. The two became known as “Thunder and Lightning,” which is a nod to his strength and Barber’s speed. Sadly, his carries gradually diminished within the next few seasons.
Ron Dayne
Chris Weinke
A QB for Florida State, Chris Weinke was the Heisman Trophy winner in 2000. The year after that, he joined the Panthers as a starter. Sadly, he had a pretty unmemorable season. Carolina also scored a 1-15 record that year. After that, they made him the backup of Jake Delhomme. He remained in the bleachers for years, only making a start when the other suffered an injury in 2006. For a short period of time, he also played for Cleveland and San Francisco. In the end, however, he decided to start coaching instead.
Chris Weinke
Eric Crouch
In 2001, Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy. It was thought that he would fit wide receiver better than QB. The St. Louis Rams picked him during the third round of the draft in 2002. However, he did not get a down during a regular season. He went on to join several other teams across different leagues. He also played safety for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe and QB for the Argos in the CFL.
Eric Crouch
Jason White
In 2003, the Heisman Trophy went to Jason White. He even took Oklahoma to back-to-back showing at the National Championship Games! While his college track record was great, the team did not win either of those games. This must be why he was not chosen at the NFL Draft. Aside from that, he did not get tryouts from the teams during the first weeks of the post-draft free agency. Isn’t that unbelievable? He joined Charlie Ward and Pete Dawkins as the third Heisman Trophy winner who did not get drafted.
Jason White
Troy Smith
He was up against Darren McFadden, but Troy Smith bagged the Heisman award in 2006. The year after that, the Baltimore Ravens picked him during the fifth round. He only had the chance to start two games in three seasons, however. He went on to start six games for San Francisco, but he left the NFL in 2010. In August 2013, he signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Despite this, they chose to release the player just a year into the deal thanks to his poor performance and team problems.
Troy Smith
Robert Griffin III
In 2011, the BYU alum brought home the Heisman Trophy. NFL scouts went after him, but he ultimately committed to the Redskins. Early on, he performed very well as a member of Washington. Robert Griffin III also took them to victory at the NFC East Division. Unfortunately, things went downhill for him after a knee injury that also ruined the team’s playoff chances. He kept struggling after that, so the team decided to release him after the 2015 season. Too bad.
Robert Griffin III
Tim Tebow
In 2010, the Denver Broncos had been on the lookout for a QB. This was the reason they picked Tim Tebow during the first round of the NFL draft. The 2007 Heisman Trophy awardee was known for his amazing touchdown pass in 2011, but his career was not impressive. In the big leagues, his ability to throw was a huge issue. We think that it is said that he could not get past this weakness. Once he quit playing, he decided to try his luck in another sport. He now plays baseball for the New York Mets! Whoa.
Tim Tebow
Johnny Manziel
In 2011, Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy. The Browns drafted him by trading up to the twenty-second slot. They did this in the hopes that he would help the Cleveland franchise hit its stride once more. Sadly, he only had several on-field moments and a lot of off-field drama. In 2015, he spent his sophomore season in rehab. The team decided to move on without him since he was away for two years. In 2018, he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL but was later traded to Montreal.
Johnny Manziel
Marcus Mariota
With his great college track record at Oregon, people were shocked to see how Marcus Mariota fared after pro. He was a first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, although he found it hard to look for open receivers downfield. His largest issue, however, would be his health. When he was in the NFL, the Heisman Trophy winner suffered from a bunch of injuries that made it hard to improve his passes. To be fair, he is still quite young. He’s not even 30! It is still possible that he will improve in the years to come.
Marcus Mariota
Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston is known for his big arms, but he is also famous for his big personality. We are sad to report that he has yet to impress us. He did not have the same luck in the big leagues as he did in college. A lot of people could not believe that he bagged the Heisman Trophy as a freshman. These days, he really needs to work on his turnovers. It feels like he has been donating them through both interceptions and fumbles. He would fare so much better in the NFL if he could fix this issue.
Jameis Winston
Sam Bradford
Is there an NFL player who has benefited more from his Heisman Trophy win than Sam Bradford? We doubt it. The Oklahoma player was a top prospect after his graduation. His rookie season was notable, but something went wrong along the way. After tearing his ACL, he was unable to play as he once did. We can all so that he has potential, which is why he kept cashing in on more than $100 million deals.
Sam Bradford
Carson Palmer
We agree that Carson Palmer had been a great QB during his time in the NFL. However, he earned a spot on the list because we don’t think he lived up to the hype. The Bengals drafted the Heisman Trophy winner, and he has mostly delivered. Even so, he has yet to win big. After Andy Dalton joined the team, he went to Arizona and reached the NFC Championship Game before succumbing to pressure.
Carson Palmer
Charlie Ward
After his college career, it was time for Charlie Ward to make a choice. He had the chance to play in either the NFL or the NBA. He went with the latter, which explains why he made it to our list. The Heisman Trophy winner had plenty of potential and talent, but he took it to the paint instead of the green. NFL fans were sad when they heard the news. We are sure that they hoped that they would bring glory to their favorite football team instead. Isn’t it sad that we have no way of knowing?
Charlie Ward
Vinny Testaverde
When he was a senior at Miami, he brought home the Heisman Trophy in 1986. Vinny Testaverde was the first overall pick at the NFL draft. When he decided to retire, he already spent time in seven teams. If you ask us, the best parts of his career had been with the Jets. In those days, he took New York to a record of 12-4 in 1998. He closed his career with 275 touchdown passes and 267 interceptions.
Vinny Testaverde
Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram was indeed a good player, but he still did not meet our expectations. He spent almost an entire decade in the NFL. The hard runner only exceeded 1,000 yards during three seasons. We think that it is pretty bad that he only got to play 16 games three times in his career. In 2019, he joined the Ravens. While his workload was even lighter, he managed to go past 1,000 rushing yards.
Mark Ingram
Desmond Howard
When Desmond Howard was in college, he was a part of the Michigan team. As a junior, he received the Heisman Trophy in 1991. Even though he was talented, he still had one of the most disappointing careers you will find on the list. In 1994, he earned his greatest playing year during his time with the Washington Redskins. This was when he managed to score five touchdowns and caught 40 balls for 727 yards. This is not bad at all, but we had higher expectations for him after his great college career.
Desmond Howard
Mike Rozier
Once he was done with college, Mike Rozier was considered one of the greatest amateur athletes. He won the Heisman Trophy in his senior year. Unfortunately, his time in the NFL did not bear as many fruits. Before joining the league, he spent two years in the United States Football League with the Pittsburgh Maulers. When he finally joined the NFL, he only got to rush for a thousand yards once.
Mike Rozier
George Rogers
After spending seven seasons in the NFL, he had 7,176 rushing yards to his name. When George Rogers was still a rookie, he impressed us with his record of more than 1,600. He made it to the list because he only spent seven years in the league. We all know just how valuable longevity is to any career in the NFL. Even though he had a great run, he was unable to stay healthy. He retired when the 1987 season ended.
George Rogers
Charles White
When he was a senior at USC, Charles White received the Heisman Trophy in 1979. The Cleveland Browns chose him during the first round of the NFL draft. For the next four years, he did not live up to the expectations that people had of him. He only rushed for 942 yards! After leaving the team, the Los Angeles Rams took him in. Sadly, he only rushed once. After he left the green, he saw success when he joined American Gladiators. He appeared on the show twice and won both times.
Charles White
Billy Sims
It is always tragic when a promising career gets derailed by an injury. Billy Sims had been doing great for five years when he injured his knee. Things started to go downhill after that. We are sure that he could have recovered if that happened now. The Detroit Lions took him in, and he gave the franchise new life for five seasons. During that span of time, he took them to the Pro Bowl three times and led them to the playoffs twice. By the time he retired, he had 5,106 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns under his belt.
Billy Sims
John Cappelletti
The Los Angeles Rams picked John Cappelletti in 1974. He brought home the Heisman Trophy when he was at Penn State. He spent ten seasons in the big leagues but lost one of those due to a groin injury. Not once did he achieve a thousand rushing yards in a single year. In 1976, he had his best season with a record of 177 carries for 688 rushing yards. He carried it 178 times for 588 yards the year after that.
John Cappelletti
Johnny Rodgers
The San Diego Chargers picked Johnny Rodgers in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft. As you can imagine, they expected a lot from the Heisman Trophy winner. Sadly, he spurned their offer by instead playing for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. He was on the team for four years before debuting in the NFL. He only had one season because he decided to resign after a knee injury.
Johnny Rodgers
Steve Spurrier
The truth is that most people remember Steve Spurrier better for his time as a coach instead of a player. Even though he was a Heisman Trophy awardee, his NFL career was not memorable. In 1967, he was the third overall pick at the NFL Draft. We are sure that the 49ers hoped he could help the franchise. While he had several starts, it was not enough for the coaches. For ten seasons, he got to start 38 games. What really caused his downfall was all of his interceptions. We have already seen many Heisman winners who did not live up to the hype, so it is time to see those with the greatest college careers!
Steve Spurrier
Cam Newton – 2010
There is no doubt that Cam Newton is one of the greatest players that college football has ever seen. He had a pretty controversial start, but he turned out to be the perfect choice for Auburn. His playstyle was both creative and athletic, which did wonders for the football program. He was the SEC’s first player to get 1,000 rushing yards and 2,000 passes in a single season. The other team players always looked like high school JV teams when they were up against him. He was a true legend! Aside from that, he brought the team glory by helping them win the National Championship.
Cam Newton – 2010
Doug Flutie – 1984
With his play style and appearance, it was always fun to watch him on the green. This smaller guy was a running back. It was never boring when he was on the football field because he could always improvise. Many people know Doug Flutie best for his Hail Mary, which helped his team defeat Miami. At the moment, many football fans still think of that as one of the greatest plays in college football history. He was no one-hit-wonder either since he made many important plays that gave Boston College the top-scoring offense with a record of 37.4 points per game. As you can see, he was truly memorable.
Doug Flutie – 1984
Charles Woodson – 1997
Here is an NFL hero who was a college football legend as well. His Heisman year was one of the most controversial victories in the past few decades. Many people believed that Peyton Manning should have gotten it instead. At any rate, it went to Charles Woodson that year. To this day, he is the only defensive player who has received it. Well, he indeed played on the offense by scoring three touchdowns. Despite this, his defensive play brought more the team more glory. During that season, his last game cemented his iconic status after he talked smack to the opposite receiver and returned a punt.
Charles Woodson – 1997
Roger Staubach – 1963
First of all, we want you to know that his records do not exactly translate well. Even so, he pretty much redefined the position of QB. He only earned seven touchdowns and 12 passes out of 192 in his Heisman year. Fair enough, all the other players on the list would be able to outdo that. Also known as Roger the Dodger, Staubach was great at scrambling and paved the way for future pocket scrambles. He took the team to the National Championship game, but they lost in the end. That does not make him less iconic.
Roger Staubach – 1963
Marcus Allen – 1981
Up next, we have Marcus Allen. The team gave him the ball a total of 477 times in 1981. That was also his Heisman year. With so many touches, we can see why he brought home the award. He still has the record for rushing over 200-yard games with eight of them. On the other hand, his 212.9 rushing yards are now known as the second-highest in history. USC might have lost to Washington and Arizona before the Fiesta Bowl, but there is no way that you can deny that he is an amazing player.
Marcus Allen – 1981
O.J. Simpson – 1968
Well, did you think we could finish this list without mentioning the Juice? Of course, the murder charges made us see him in a new light, but his athletic prowess is unmatched. O.J. Simpson was the first college player to earn this much fame. It was hard to come up with a defensive plan for him. For two back-to-back years, he had the highest rushing yards record. In 1968, he dominated the field and made it look easy. He led in touchdowns with 23 that year. His margin of victory is the highest in Heisman history.
O.J. Simpson – 1968
Eddie George – 1995
When he was a junior, Eddie George impressed us. The Ohio State Buckeyes alum did even better the year after that. He took the team to an 11-0 record and led them to the National Championship Game. He ruled the green and rushed for at least a hundred years per game. There was only one exception, but his coach subbed him out that time. They did so at the opener because he just scored 38-6 that time.
Eddie George – 1995
Ricky Williams – 1998
Every single fan of college football had their eyes on Ricky Williams in 1997. We bet that he would have bagged the Heisman Trophy that year if it had not been for Charles Woodson and Peyton Manning. We are glad that he brought it home the year after that. During that span of time, his touches went from 279 to 361 as well. With his 6,083 rushing yards that season, he set the new rushing record in the FBS. We are sure that it is not hard to see why his pay was the town’s talk.
Ricky Williams – 1998
Tony Dorsett – 1976
While Tony Dorsett had an awesome run in 1975, Pittsburgh only had an 8-4 record that year. The year after that, things looked up when he took the team to the National Championship game. His personal record is no laughing matter whatsoever. He led the league with his 370 carries and 2,150 rushing yards. His team started the season with a road victory against Notre Dame. During that game, he rushed for 61 yards during his first carry. They closed the season with a National Championship win.
Tony Dorsett – 1976
Reggie Bush – 2005 *
There is an asterisk beside his name because the NCAA took his Heisman trophy after USC violated rules. Even so, you would be a fool not to recognize that Reggie Bush was a great college football player. In 2005, he had one of the best plays in the league. People even called it the best of the new millennium. He went on to be a huge star that would intimidate anyone who had to go up against him. He led the nation with his record of 8.7 yards per carrying. This made the player an automatic first down. He managed to score 16 rushing touchdowns and 1,740 rushing yards. Nice.
Reggie Bush – 2005 *
Herschel Walker – 1982
Even though the 1981 season had been spectacular for Herschel Walker, he was overshadowed by Marcus Allen that year. We are glad to report that the Heisman trophy went to him the year after that. While he had a broken thumb, it did not slow him down. In fact, he managed to beat his yards per attempt record even though he took fewer carries. The Bulldogs ruled the SEC and had an 11-0 record before losing in the Sugar Bowl. In the end, he boasted 15 touchdowns, 335 carries, and 1,752 yards.
Herschel Walker – 1982
Barry Sanders – 1988
Honestly, this list would not be complete if Barry Sanders was not on the list. We are sure that no one can ever replicate his Heisman year. Many younger players can only dream of it. He led the nation with his 37 touchdowns and broke the FBS rushing yard record with 2,428 yards. These days, bowl stats count so that teams can play 12 to 15. Despite this, no other player has broken his total of 11 games.
Barry Sanders – 1988
Kyler Murray – 2018
In 2018, there had been a lot of worthy competitors for the Heisman Trophy. It had been a very close race between Kyler Murray and Tua Tagavailoa. The latter played for Alabama and ended the season with a 202.3 efficiency rating. Even though it was very close, Murray had a 205.72 rating! He only got more popular after he threw 40 touchdowns and ran for 11. By the end of the season, he already had 892 rushing yards and 4,053 passing yards. How incredible is that? With amazing stats like those, he was a natural first-round draft pick. Sadly, he decided to instead sign with the Oakland A’s in the MLB.
Kyler Murray – 2018
Baker Mayfield – 2017
Before Kyle Murray entered the scene, Baker Mayfield was the one breaking efficiency records. Before he brought home the 2017 Heisman Trophy, he had a rating of 203.76! Aside from that, he only had five interceptions and scored 41 touchdowns. Not only that, but he also gave Oklahoma to its third consecutive Big 12 win and accomplished 71 percent of the passes. It is not surprising to hear that he was the first overall pick. He went on to be the starting QB for the Cleveland Browns.
Baker Mayfield – 2017
Howard Cassady – 1955
It is a huge shame that so few people remember Howard Cassady. In the past, he was one of the best running backs in college football! He did not have a hard time defeating the competition. During his Heisman year, he had 15 touchdowns and 958 rushing yards to his name. He was also an All-American pick during his time at Ohio State. He dominated the green and made it look easy. Aside from that, his alma mother won the Big Ten title in the same year. Michigan did not stand a chance.
Howard Cassady – 1955
Earl Campbell – 1977
Let us see. What is there to say about one of several winners who also made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In his Heisman year, he was able to make 18 touchdowns and over 1,700 rushing yards. Wow. Are you not yet impressed? Well, wait until you hear that Earl Campbell caught five passes and a touchdown for 111 yards. Once he joined the NFL, he continued to blow us away. He even took home the Most Valuable Player award once. Aside from that, he was voted to the Pro Bowl five times.
Earl Campbell – 1977
Derrick Henry – 2015
It is pretty accurate to call Derrick Henry a dark horse. At the start of his college career, no one really knew his name. He stayed relatively unknown halfway through his Heisman year. He finally earned the attention of viewers after rushing for almost 2,000 yards. This bag game had him against LSU and Leonard Fournette, who was a candidate for the trophy. In the end, Henry sealed the deal with 210 yards and three touchdowns. Everyone already knew who the better person for the award was by then.
Derrick Henry – 2015
Bo Jackson – 1985
The truth is that Bo Jackson could have been one of the greatest athletes in history. Many analysts go as far as to call him the best college player ever. He was able to go past defenders and rush with passion with ease. His college career was already spectacular, and the Heisman Trophy was just the icing on the cake. After leaving college, he went on to play in both the MLB and the NFL. Sadly, he went too fast. A routine run injured him and put a stop to his blossoming pro athlete career.
Bo Jackson – 1985
Lamar Jackson – 2016
If you ask us, Lamar Jackson is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in college football history. He did bring the Heisman Trophy, which made people keep a closer eye on him. Analysts believed that he would succeed more as a wide receiver instead of under center. In the end, he proved all of them wrong by staying in the same position even after joining the NFL. It did not change his draft chances, which is why the Ravens picked him during the first round. He took the place of the starter over Joe Flacco midway through his rookie season.
Lamar Jackson – 2016
Tim Brown – 1987
The truth is that Tim Brown is responsible for putting his alma matter on the college football map in the late ‘80s. The talented wide receiver played for lower-end teams, but Notre Dame attracted more gifted talented players after him. It is not a surprise to hear that he did well in the NFL. When he was with the Oakland Raiders, he did not support the best QBs in the league. It was not easy, but he was able to make the most out of his situation. Near the end of his football career, he at least got to play with Jerry Rice.
Tim Brown – 1987