25 best NFL careers from Heisman Trophy winners

16. Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami (1986)

Vinny Testaverde started two seasons for the Miami Hurricanes and certainly made himself a star in college football over that time. As a junior, he passed for 3,238 yards, but finished fifth in Heisman voting as his 15 interceptions to 21 touchdowns certainly hurt his cause. Though his yardage dipped to 2,557 the following year in 1986, his 26 scores and nine interceptions earned him the award finally.

Off of his Heisman win, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Testaverde with the first pick in the 1987 NFL Draft, but he started just four games and played in only six for Tampa in his rookie season. The next year, however, he was made the starter but struggled as he threw 35 interceptions to only 13 touchdowns. In truth, that was the story for Testaverde throughout most of his early career.

From 1987-97 with Tampa, Cleveland and Baltimore, Testaverde went just 48-83-1 as a starter while throwing 175 touchdowns to 183 interceptions, though he did earn a Pro Bowl nod in 1996 with a 4,000-yard, 33-touchdown season. Even still, it wasn’t until he was a veteran joining the New York Jets that he really made his best effort in 1998.

Testaverde threw for 3,256 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Jets in 1998, leading them to a 12-1 record as the starter that year. Though the record didn’t persist, he had the best run of his career from 1998-2001 with Gang Green, throwing 66 touchdowns to 47 interceptions in 46 starts, going 31-15 over that time.

Perhaps the biggest testament to Testaverde is his longevity, though. Just a two-time Pro Bowler, he played 21 years in the league, made 214 starts and threw for over 46,000 yards in his career. He’s not Tom Brady by any means, but he certainly made a career for himself in the NFL.