25 best NFL careers from Heisman Trophy winners

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 11: Quarterback Cam Newton of the Auburn University Tigers speaks after being named the 76th Heisman Memorial Trophy Award winner at the Best Buy Theater on December 11, 2010 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: Photographer approval needed for all Commercial License requests. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Getty Images for The Heisman) /

9 of 26

BALTIMORE, MD – OCTOBER 28: Running back Paul Hornung No. 5 of the Green Bay Packers carries the ball against the Baltimore Colts during an NFL football game October 28, 1962 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Horning played for the Packers from 1957-66. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

18. Paul Hornung, QB/HB, Notre Dame (1956)

Before the term dual-threat quarterback became popular in the lexicon of football fans, Paul Hornung was unquestionably just that for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the mid-1950s. It was his 1956 season that won him the Heisman Trophy as he passed for 917 yards and three touchdowns, but also rushed for 420 yards and six touchdowns on the season. His rushing ability was the selling point for the NFL, however.

The Green Bay Packers selected Hornung with the first-overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft and he immediately played a role in one of the most successful early NFL franchises. Hornung wasn’t a star right away, but he did rush for 319 yards and three touchdowns in his first season.

It was in his third year in the league when Hornung then hit his stride at the pro level. Earning his first Pro Bowl nod, Hornung ran the ball 152 times for 681 yards and seven touchdowns while also amassing 113 yards receiving. The next season, the best of his career, Hornung went off for 671 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns while also scoring twice as a receiver and adding 257 receiving yards to his credit.

At the end of his career, Hornung’s counting stats weren’t overly impressive. However, he was a winner of the highest regard with the Packers and a key part of Green Bay’s success as they won four NFL Championships, including a Super Bowl. With that and his two Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro nods, the Golden Boy finds his way onto this list.

Home/Heisman Trophy