The 2024 college football season is nearing its end, which means it’s just about time to award the Heisman Trophy to the nation’s best player. The Heisman is considered the most prestigious award in college football, and the winner is selected through a process of picks from sports journalists.
This year’s finalists represent a range of schools with winning records and — for three of them — playoff-bound teams: University of Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, University of Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, Boise State University running back Ashton Jeanty, and University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
The Heisman Trophy will be awarded on Saturday, December 14, 2024, and the ceremony will be broadcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET.
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Who’s the likely winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy?
Odds are in favor of Colorado’s Hunter being awarded the trophy. Winning a Heisman offers opportunities, such as being a high overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and getting a lucrative salary.
Recent recipients have gone on to make millions of dollars in their rookie NFL season. Jayden Daniels (2023) and Caleb Williams (2022) are both first-year players and have both signed on to make around $25 million this season, which is significantly higher than the typical pay for NFL rookies.
The average annual salary of an NFL player is around $3 million, according to some reports.
How many active NFL players have won the Heisman?
There are 11 Heisman winners active in the NFL, and nine of them are quarterbacks. The earliest Heisman winner is Jameis Winston, who won in 2013 and is in his 10th year in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. The most recent winner is Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders.
Winston is experiencing a career resurgence with the Cleveland Browns, the third team he’s ever played for, and he has the potential to draw additional income from sponsorships.
Being a pitchman for companies can bring in millions of dollars for Heisman recipients, complementing their NFL salaries. Baker Mayfield (2017 recipient), for example, reportedly earns about $10 million a year for appearing in commercials for companies such as insurer Progressive.
While a rookie’s net worth might be low, the longer a Heisman winner plays in the NFL, the higher their career earnings and net worth can become. NFL teams recruiting Heisman winners typically anticipate their excellence on the field at the collegiate level to continue into the NFL.
Still, there’s no guarantee of making the Big Game. None of the active Heisman recipients have won a Super Bowl championship. The last Heisman winner to win a championship ring was 1997 recipient Charles Woodson, who played for the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
Heisman recipients in the NFL & their net worths
The following is a list of 10 active NFL players who were Heisman recipients, from lowest net worth to highest. Net worth data comes from various sources, including Forbes. Career earnings data were compiled by Over the Cap, which tracks players’ contracts with their NFL teams.
Jayden Daniels
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2023, LSU, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Washington Commanders
- Years in NFL: 1
- Career earnings: $24.3 million
- Net worth: $2 million
Caleb Williams
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2022, USC, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Chicago Bears
- Years in NFL: 1
- Career earnings: $25.5 million
- Net worth: $3.5 million
Devonta Smith
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2020, Alabama, WR
- NFL position and team: WR, Philadelphia Eagles
- Years in NFL: 4
- Career earnings: $37.1 million
- Net worth: $5 million
Derrick Henry
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2015, Alabama, RB
- NFL position and team: RB, Baltimore Ravens
- Years in NFL: 9
- Career earnings: $64.6 million
- Net worth: $12 million
Related: NFL starting quarterback salaries 2024: Who makes the most?
Bryce Young
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2021, Alabama, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Carolina Panthers
- Years in NFL: 2
- Career earnings: $25.4 million
- Net worth: $12 million
Baker Mayfield
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2017, Oklahoma, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Years in NFL: 7
- Career earnings: $52.3 million
- Net worth: $20 million – $25 million
Jameis Winston
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2013, Florida State University, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Cleveland Browns
- Years in NFL: 10
- Career earnings: $75.1 million
- Net worth: $22 million
Marcus Mariota
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2014, Oregon, QB
- NFL position and team: QB (backup), Washington Commanders
- Years in NFL: 10
- Career earnings: $71.1 million
- Net worth: $23.9 million
More on NFL net worth:
- Jameis Winston’s net worth: The Heisman-winning Browns QB’s wealth & salary
- Tom Brady’s net worth: A look inside the legendary quarterback’s wealth
- Lamar Jackson's net worth: How the Ravens' QB became the NFL's highest-paid player
Kyler Murray
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2018, Oklahoma, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Arizona Cardinals
- Years in NFL: 6
- Career earnings: $99.1 million
- Net worth: $40 million
Lamar Jackson
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2016, Louisville, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Baltimore Ravens
- Years in NFL: 7
- Career earnings: $112.5 million
- Net worth: $40 million – $100 million
Joe Burrow
- Heisman year, school, and position: 2019, LSU, QB
- NFL position and team: QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Years in NFL: 5
- Career earnings: $76.2 million
- Net worth: $50 million – $66 million
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