Florida State to honor Burt Reynolds with special helmet decal

Florida State plans to honor Burt Reynolds, legendary actor and former Seminole running back, with a special helmet decal during its upcoming game.

One of the most accomplished actors of all time, Burt Reynolds, passed away on Thursday at the age of 82 after suffering a heart attack.

Reynolds’ filmography list could go on forever, as his acting career spanned nearly six decades. But the role that Reynolds will most likely always be remembered for the most is the “bandit” Bo Darville in 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit. It’s a film that still heavily resonates with anyone who was a kid during the 70s, even 41 years after its original release.

You know all about Reynolds and his legendary acting career. What you might not know, however, is that Reynolds actually used to play college football for one of the most prestigious college football programs. He was a member of the Florida State Seminoles football team from 1954-1957, playing as a running back, where he was a roommate of College GameDay’s Lee Corso.

Though he might not be remembered for his football abilities nearly as much as his acting abilities, FSU plans on honoring Reynolds with a special decal to be worn on their helmets during their upcoming game against Samford on Saturday. The decal reads “BAN ONE” in reference to his iconic role in Smokey and the Bandit.

On Friday, Florida State football’s official Twitter account tweeted out an image of the decal. It resembles the BAN ONE license plate from the film, and it also features Reynolds’ signature on the bottom. FSU also included a photo of the famous Trans Am that was driven by Reynolds’ character in the movie.

It’s a pretty cool way to honor one of the most legendary actors of all time. And even though Reynolds brought us some other classic hits like Deliverance, The Longest Yard, Cannonball Run and Boogie Nights, it’s pretty hard to debate that Smokey and the Bandit will always be his most treasured piece of work.

Florida State hosts Samford on Saturday night with kick scheduled for 6:20 p.m. and TV coverage provided by ACC Network.