The Heisman Trophy is one of the most famous and popular trophies. It is given to players who have showcased an amazing performance in College Football. Most of the players who won the Heisman Trophy had an amazing career in the NFL. Here in this article, we will discuss the history of the Heisman trophy and some of the best players who received the trophy.
History of Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Trophy is considered a prestigious award given to excellent performers in college football. The award is given annually to the player who has given exceptional performance in college football. Earlier, the name of the Heisman trophy was the Downtown Athletic Club trophy. Then in 1936, the name of the trophy was changed to the Heisman Memorial Trophy after John Heisman who was a legend in football. John Heisman was a football player with exceptional talents. He was well known for his forward pass in football. He was a coach at the University of Pennsylvania and Georgia Tech.
Jay Berwanger received the Trophy in 1935 and became the first player to receive it. He was from the University of Chicago. Later on, the selection process of the players for the award changed and the award got public attention and became popular. The winner is decided after a voting process that involves sports journalists, fans, and former winners of the Heisman trophy. The voters are selected from various regions in the US. Sports journalists are selected from the six regions to vote for the Heisman trophy winners. Sports journalists are selected to vote by the authorities as they are informed more about the sports. 145 sports journalist voters are selected from the six regions to vote for the players to determine the winner of the Heisman trophy. 57 winners of the Heisman trophy can also vote to decide the new Heisman trophy winner. A vote is given by fans through a survey conducted by the authorities. Some of the major players who received the Heisman Trophy are
- Doak Walker in 1948
- Roger Staubach in 1963
- O.J Simpson in 1968
- Barry Sanders in 1988
- Tim Tebow in 2007
- Lamar Jackson in 2016
The Heisman Trophy is given to players who exhibit amazing talents. The trophy is commonly awarded to quarterbacks or running backs in college football. However, players from other positions are also receiving awards. In the last two decades, the majority of players receiving Heisman trophies are players who play in quarterback positions.
The announcement of the Heisman trophy winner is an important event among the fans of football. The declaration of the winner happens after months and weeks of discussions among the fans of football about the winner of the trophy. The player who has showcased talent in college football will receive the award. The most popular award in college football is given in a ceremony in New York where the finalists will be present. The Heisman Trophy Trust presents the award to the winner from the year 2003.
Also read: Who Won The Heisman Trophy 2024? Finalists Announced
Past winners of the Heisman trophy
The recipients of the Heisman Trophy from the past ten years are listed below
- 2014: Quarterback, Marcus Mariota (Oregon)
- 2015: Running Back, Derrick Henry (Alabama)
- 2016: Quarterback, Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
- 2017: Quarterback, Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
- 2018: Quarterback, Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
- 2019: Quarterback, Joe Burrow (LSU)
- 2020: Wide Receiver, Devonta Smith (Alabama)
- 2021: Quarterback, Bryce Young (Alabama)
- 2022: Quarterback, Caleb Williams (USC)
- 2023: Quarterback, Jayden Daniels (LSU)
Finalists of the 2024 Heisman Trophy
The Heisman trophy winner will be declared from the finalists. It will be declared in Lincoln Center in New York. All finalists will attend the ceremony held at the Lincoln Center. The name of the finalists of the Heisman trophy was announced by Andre Ware. The finalists will be present in New York at the 90th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy. This year there are four finalists. This is the sixth consecutive year that four finalists have been announced. The finalists of the Heisman Trophy have been invited to New York City officially by the Heisman Trophy Trust since 2021. The finalists of the Heisman trophy this year are listed below
- Travis Hunter, Colorado
- Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
- Cam Ward, Miami
Best winners of all time
Many players received Heisman trophies all these years. They had an amazing career in the NFL and showcased exceptional performance throughout their career. Here we will mention some of the best players who received the Heisman trophy. The best players who received Heisman trophy are:
- Barry Sanders, recipient of the trophy in 1988
- Roger Staubach, recipient of the trophy in 1963
- Marcus Allen, recipient of the trophy in 1981
- O.J Simpson, recipient of the trophy in 1968
- Paul Hornung, recipient of the trophy in 1956
- Tony Dorsett, recipient of the trophy in 1976
- Earl Campbell, recipient of the trophy in 1977
- Charles Woodson, recipient of the trophy in 1997
- Doak Walker, recipient of the trophy in 1948
- Tim Brown, recipient of the trophy in 1987
Conclusion
The Heisman trophy is popular among the fans of sports as the winner is selected through the voting system. Previous winners, media persons, and fans collectively select the winner from the finalists through a voting system. This year will be marked as the 90th ceremony where the best college football player is selected. The Heisman Trophy will be awarded to the best player in College football. Here in this article, we have discussed the history of the Heisman trophy and the best winners of the trophy.
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