7 players who have won the Heisman Trophy and the NFL MVP

The Heisman Trophy and the NFL MVP award signify excellence in the game of football. The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the best player in college football, while the NFL MVP award goes to the player who performed the best during the regular season.

While several Heisman Trophy award winners haven't gone on to have amazing careers in the NFL, there have been some exceptions.

In this article, we will take a look at seven players who won the Heisman Trophy during their college days and went on to win the NFL MVP when they became professionals.

#1 Paul Hornung

Hornung was the first player to achieve both feats. The legendary American football player won the Heisman Trophy in 1956 while playing college football at Notre Dame. The versatile Green Bay Packers halfback and placekicker went on to win the NFL MVP in 1960.

#2 O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson was a running back who played mainly for the Buffalo Bills, before joining the San Francisco 49ers in the latter part of his career.

He won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 while playing for the USC Trojans. He was named the NFL MVP in the 1973 season.

#3 Earl Campbell

Nicknamed "Tyler Rose," Campbell was a dominant running back who played for the Texas Longhorns in the NCAAF. The 1978 first overall pick played his professional career with the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1977 and went on to claim the NFL MVP in 1979.

#4 Marcus Allen

Allen played 16 seasons in the NFL, primarily for the Los Angeles Raiders, after he was drafted in 1982. The running back played college football with the USC Trojans and was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 1981. The San Diego-born player would go on to win the NFL MVP in 1985.

#5 Barry Sanders

Sanders played his entire career in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. The 1989 third-overall pick played college football with the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The running back won the Heisman Trophy in 1988. Wichita-born Sanders would go on to win the NFL MVP in 1997.

#6 Cam Newton

Newton was the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. The quarterback has played most of his career with the Carolina Panthers. Newton was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 2010 while playing for the Auburn Tigers. He won the NFL MVP in 2015 after leading the Panthers to a stellar season.

#7 Lamar Jackson

Jackson is the latest player to have won both the Heisman Trophy and the NFL MVP. The quarterback played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. Even after winning the prestigious college award in 2016, he was the last pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Jackson would go on to prove the doubters wrong by winning the NFL MVP in 2019.