We're set for a star-studded showdown in Super Bowl LIX, with Jalen Hurts leading the Philadelphia Eagles against Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in New Orleans. From Hurts and Mahomes to A.J. Brown, Jalen Carter and Chris Jones, the Superdome will be chock full of players who were stars in college long before they became stars at the professional level.
But despite all of their accolades, none of those names were good enough to capture the Heisman Trophy during their days as student-athletes. In fact, only one Heisman winner will be taking part in the Big Game: Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who took home the hardware during a 2020 season that ranks among the very best we've ever seen at the position.
If Smith helps Philly pull the upset and capture the franchise's second Super Bowl title, he'll do much more than etch his name into NFL history. He'll also be joining one of the sport's most exclusive fraternities: the list of players who have won both a Heisman and a Super Bowl.
How many Heisman Trophy winners have also won a Super Bowl?
It may come as a surprise, but there have only been 10 Heisman winners to ever win a Super Bowl, beginning with former Notre Dame and Green Bay Packers halfback Paul Hornung. (Hornung was the only member of Green Bay's roster who didn't appear in Super Bowl I, as he would retire at the end of the season due to injury.) The other nine: quarterback Roger Staubach (Navy, Cowboys), running back Mike Garrett (USC, Chiefs), quarterback Jim Plunkett (Stanford, Raiders), running back Tony Dorsett (Pitt, Cowboys), running back Marcus Allen (USC, Raiders), running back George Rogers (South Carolina, Washington), wide receiver/kick returner Desmond Howard (Michigan, Packers), cornerback Charles Woodson (Michigan, Packers) and running back Reggie Bush (USC, Saints).
A few other players have come close over the years. Former Carolina Panthers quarterback and 2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton, was the most recent, but his Super Bowl bid came up short at the final hurdle against the Denver Broncos. 18 Heisman winners in all have played in the Super, highlighted by names like Raiders receiver Tim Brown and Titans running back Eddie George. (Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow lost the Big Game back in 2022, while Louisville Heisman winner Lamar Jackson is still trying to bang that door down.)
If the Eagles win it all on Sunday, Smith will join some very exclusive company. If not, the wait will go on for at least one more year. Who knows, maybe recent winners like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels or Travis Hunter will make an appearance in the BIg Game before long.