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Heisman Trophy winners in NFL history: 2023 winner Jayden Daniels makes MNF debut

ayrton ostly, usa today
·3-min read

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels makes his primetime debut Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner won his first NFL game in Week 2 with Washington's 21-18 win over the New York Giants.

According to Sports Information Solutions (SIS) data, Daniels has been the best rookie quarterback in the NFL this season. He's third in the league in completion percentage (75.5%) but much of that is on short passes. He's behind only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the shortest throw depth in the league at 4.8 yards per attempt.

On Monday, he'll face another Heisman Trophy winner: Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who won the award in 2019. This is the first matchup featuring two opposing Heisman winners since last season's Eagles-Buccaneers NFC wild card playoff game.

Here's the current state of Heisman Trophy winners in the NFL - plus how Heisman winners have fared historically.

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Heisman Trophy winners in NFL

Daniels is one of the latest Heisman winners to make it to the NFL. He and Burrow are two of 11 Heisman winners who are active in the NFL this season. That group includes:

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Have any Heisman Trophy winners won NFL MVP?

The most recent NFL MVP winner is a Heisman Trophy winner as well. Jackson won NFL MVP honors in 2023 and 2019, years after his Heisman Trophy win in 2016. He's the only two-time NFL MVP to have also won a Heisman in college.

Jackson is the seventh Heisman Trophy winner to win NFL MVP honors. The others are:

  • Cam Newton: 2010 Heisman, 2015 NFL MVP

  • Barry Sanders: 1988 Heisman, 1997 NFL MVP

  • Marcus Allen: 1981 Heisman, 1985 NFL MVP

  • Earl Campbell: 1977 Heisman, 1979 NFL MVP

  • O.J. Simpson: 1968 Heisman, 1973 NFL MVP

  • Paul Hornung: 1956 Heisman, 1961 NFL MVP

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Heisman Trophy winners in the NFL Hall of Fame

There 371 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as of the Class of 2023. But only 10 of them won the Heisman Trophy during their college careers:

  • Charles Woodson: 1997 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 2021

  • Sanders: 1988 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 2004

  • Tim Brown: 1987 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 2015

  • Allen: 1981 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 2003

  • Campbell: 1977 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1991

  • Tony Dorsett: 1976 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1994

  • Simpson: 1968 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1985

  • Roger Staubach: 1963 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1985

  • Hornung: 1956 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1986

  • Doak Walker: 1948 Heisman, Hall of Fame Class of 1986

The National Football Foundation retroactively gave Heisman Trophies to Jim Thorpe (1911), Pete Henry (1918), Red Grange (1924), Ernie Nevers (1925), Benny Friedman (1926), Bronco Nagurski (1929), and Don Hutson (1934) in 2009. All seven are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heisman Trophy winners in NFL: Jayden Daniels makes MNF debut