32 Facts About Johnny Rodgers

Johnny Steven Rodgers was born on July 5,1951 and is an American former professional football player.

Johnny Rodgers played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and won the Heisman Trophy in 1972.

Johnny Rodgers was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

Johnny Rodgers broke virtually every offensive team record, was twice named to the College Football All-America Team and won the Walter Camp Award and the Heisman Trophy in 1972 for most outstanding player in college football in the United States.

Former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, who served as Nebraska's offensive coordinator in the early 1970s, wrote in his 1985 book More Than Winning that Johnny Rodgers had the greatest ability to return punts of any player he ever saw.

Johnny Rodgers was, at one time, convicted of a gas station robbery while he was a student at the University of Nebraska in 1970.

Johnny Rodgers is the only Heisman winner who had a then-present felony conviction before receiving the award.

Johnny Rodgers was pardoned by the Nebraska Board of Pardons, and his conviction was vacated, on November 14,2013.

Johnny Rodgers later was charged with assault in 1985 while living in southern California.

Johnny Rodgers ran for three touchdowns, caught a 50-yard pass for another touchdown, and threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to a teammate.

Johnny Rodgers did all this before leaving the game with 21 minutes still to play.

Johnny Rodgers returned to the United States, signing a $925,000-plus contract with the Chargers on January 3,1977.

In 1999, Johnny Rodgers was selected to the Nebraska All-Century Football Team via fan poll and named to the All-Century Nebraska football team by Gannett News Service.

Johnny Rodgers is one of only sixteen Cornhuskers to have his jersey retired by the team.

In 1999, Johnny Rodgers was selected as a receiver by Sports Illustrated in their "NCAA Football All-Century Team".

Johnny Rodgers was one of six Nebraska Cornhuskers on this All-Century Team 85 man roster; the others being Rich Glover, Dave Rimington, Dean Steinkuhler, Tommie Frazier and Aaron Taylor.

In 1999, Johnny Rodgers was selected as a starting receiver to the Walter Camp Football Foundation College Football All Century Team.

Johnny Rodgers was one of six Nebraska Cornhuskers selected to this 83 man roster; the others being Rimington, Steinkuhler, Will Shields, Frazier and Taylor.

In 2000 Johnny Rodgers was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and was voted the "Most Valuable Player" in the history of the Big Eight.

Johnny Rodgers remains a legend north of the border in Montreal.

Johnny Rodgers was reported to have become a devotee of Guru Maharaj Ji, head of the Divine Light Mission, in 1974.

Johnny Rodgers met Majaraj Ji for the first time in January 1976 to discuss the guru's international tour, and in an interview at the time stated that he had joined the Divine Light Mission out of a search for deeper meaning in his life.

In 1987, Johnny Rodgers was sentenced to six months in jail for wielding a gun at a cable TV employee when the employee visited his home to retrieve equipment due to Johnny Rodgers' lack of payment.

Johnny Rodgers was stopped at the US-Mexico border in 1985 and found to be in possession of methamphetamine.

Today, Johnny Rodgers is a businessman in Omaha, Nebraska, where he operates a sports marketing company and bedding products manufacturer.

Johnny Rodgers has authored a book entitled An Era of Greatness about the University of Nebraska football team during his playing days.

Johnny Rodgers was president of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation from 1995 to 2005.

In 2007 Johnny Rodgers was a brief partner in a sports bar located in midtown Omaha bearing his name.

Johnny Rodgers is currently creating a mentoring program for children with other football and sport professionals.

In May 2014, Johnny Rodgers was hired as vice president of new business development at Rural Media Group.

In November 2021, Johnny Rodgers was hospitalized at the University of Nebraska Medical Center with COVID-19 but was released two weeks later.

Johnny Rodgers's daughter is Jewel Rodgers, poet laureate of Nebraska.