During the last 125 years, over 5 million men have played college football. More than 25,000 of them have gone on to the pros. However, only ten have accomplished what might be the rarest achievement in the history of sport: winning the Heisman Trophy and being enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"How rare is that?” you ask. Well, to put it into perspective, more men have walked on the moon.
This group of legends includes iconic names such as Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, Barry Sanders, Roger Staubach, Paul Hornung, Doak Walker and, most recently, Charles Woodson.
Yesterday, in anticipation of this Sunday’s Super Bowl, we released a podcast episode of The Professional Noticer in which I discuss this unrivaled accomplishment with the only wide receiver to have done it—Tim Brown—and Lee Shaw—apparently the first person to realize just how rare this was.
Among other topics, we talk about the NFL FILMS documentary titled “The Perfect Ten” that brought these men together in one room to reflect on this singular achievement. (It airs this Saturday evening, February 11, at 7:00pm CST)
I enjoyed our conversation so much that it stayed on my mind the rest of the day. And I began to wonder…are there other ways of shedding light on just how rare this really is? So, during the evening, I did some research in the same vein as “More people have walked on the moon than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
I hope you enjoy what I found.
More people have gone over Niagara Falls and lived (16) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
More Major League Baseball Players have hit 500 home runs (28) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In more than 100 years of tournament play, the PGA Tour has had more golfers win three Major Championships (12) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 148 years of horse racing at the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and the Preakness, there have been more Triple Crown winners (11) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 238 years, there have been more men elected President of the United States TWICE (21) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In Major League Baseball history, more players have hit for the Natural Cycle (14 have hit a single, double, triple, and home run IN ORDER during a single game) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
With more than 129,000 games in NBA history, more players have scored 60 points in a game (34) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
More recording artists have sold more than 200 million albums (13) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
During 112 years of auto racing, the Indianapolis 500 has been won TWICE by more drivers (14) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
More members of the America’s Armed Forces have won the Medal of Honor TWICE (38) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
With more than 235,000 games played during 152 Major League Baseball seasons, the rarest play in the game—an unassisted triple play—has been achieved by more players (15) than have won the Heisman and gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Click here to watch the podcast with Tim Brown and Lee Shaw—The Perfect Ten.
