The Most Famous Heisman Trophy Winner: A Ranking of Legendary Athletes

Choose the winner you think is the most famous!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Jun 16, 2023 10:18 (Updated on Dec 4, 2023 11:02)
Welcome to StrawPoll, where opinions matter, and your vote counts! Today, we invite you to join the ultimate showdown and rank the most famous Heisman Trophy winners of all time. As we bring together champions from across generations, it's time for you to step up and let your voice be heard. Cast your vote for gridiron greats like Barry Sanders, Tim Tebow, or Bo Jackson, or suggest a deserving candidate that's missing from our list. Don't just be a spectator; take part in this exhilarating battle of legends and help determine who takes the crown as the most iconic Heisman Trophy winner ever. Ready, set, vote!

Who Is the Most Famous Heisman Trophy Winner?

  1. 1
    94
    votes
    O.J. Simpson
    Gerald Johnson · Public domain
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 as a running back for the University of Southern California. He went on to have a successful NFL career but is most remembered for his controversial life off the field.
    O.J. Simpson in other rankings
  2. 2
    35
    votes
    Tim Tebow
    Clemed · CC BY-SA 3.0
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 as a quarterback for the University of Florida. He was a two-time national champion and is known for his strong Christian faith and philanthropy work.
    Tim Tebow in other rankings
  3. 3
    20
    votes
    Herschel Walker
    Congressional staff member · Public domain
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1982 as a running back for the University of Georgia. He had a successful career in the NFL and is also known for his MMA fighting career.
    Herschel Walker in other rankings
  4. 4
    4
    votes
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1985 as a running back for Auburn University. He is also known for his successful career in both the NFL and MLB.
    Bo Jackson in other rankings
  5. 5
    10
    votes
    Archie Griffin
    Stepshep (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
    He is the only player to win the Heisman Trophy twice, in 1974 and 1975, as a running back for Ohio State University.
    Archie Griffin in other rankings
  6. 6
    17
    votes
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1988 as a running back for Oklahoma State University. He had a successful career in the NFL and is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time.
    Barry Sanders in other rankings
  7. 7
    11
    votes
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1991 as a wide receiver and kick returner for the University of Michigan. He had a successful NFL career and is also known for his iconic Heisman pose.
    Desmond Howard in other rankings
  8. 8
    8
    votes
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 2012 as a quarterback for Texas A&M University. He had a brief NFL career and is known for his off-the-field controversies.
    Johnny Manziel in other rankings
  9. 9
    12
    votes
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 2010 as a quarterback for Auburn University. He had a successful NFL career and is known for his athleticism and unique playing style.
    Description
    Cam Newton is a highly debated NFL player who gained significant attention during his career. He was a quarterback known for his athletic prowess and versatile playing style. Newton entered the league as the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft and played for the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019. He later joined the New England Patriots in 2020. Throughout his career, Cam Newton demonstrated exceptional running abilities, size, and arm strength. However, his inconsistency in accuracy and decision-making has been subject to criticism, leading to divided opinions on his overall impact as a quarterback.
    • Position: Quarterback
    • Draft Year: 2011
    • Teams: Carolina Panthers (2011-2019), New England Patriots (2020)
    • Height: 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 meters)
    • Weight: 245 pounds (111 kg)
    Cam Newton in other rankings
  10. 10
    2
    votes
    Roger Staubach
    Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain
    He won the Heisman Trophy in 1963 as a quarterback for the United States Naval Academy. He had a successful NFL career and is also known for his service in the Vietnam War.
    Roger Staubach in other rankings

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About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most famous Heisman Trophy winner. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or winner is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 2092 views
  • 213 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each winner once every 24 hours. The rank of each winner is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most famous heisman trophy winner

The Heisman Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in college football, awarded annually to the most outstanding player in NCAA football in the United States. Named after John W. Heisman, a former college football player and coach, the trophy has been awarded since 1935. Over the years, the Heisman Trophy has been won by some of the greatest players in college football history. Many of these players have gone on to have successful careers in the NFL, including legends such as Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, and Herschel Walker. But who is the most famous Heisman Trophy winner? It's a difficult question to answer, as there have been so many great players who have won the award. Some might argue that Tim Tebow, who won the award twice and is known for his outspoken faith and philanthropy, is the most famous. Others might point to O.J. Simpson, who won the award in 1968 and went on to have a controversial career both on and off the field. Regardless of who is considered the most famous, there is no denying the impact that Heisman Trophy winners have had on college football and the world of sports as a whole. Each winner has left their mark on the game, and their achievements will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.

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