Johnny Rodgers Biography

Johnny Steven Rodgers, born on July 5, 1951, is an American former professional football player. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and won the Heisman Trophy in 1972. As a player at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Rodgers served as a punt return specialist, pass receiver, and running back. Tom Osborne, who was Nebraska's offensive coordinator in the early 1970s, stated in his 1985 book More Than Winning that Johnny Rodgers displayed the highest punt return ability of any player he had observed. Rodgers was, at one time, convicted of a gas station robbery while he was a student at the University of Nebraska in 1970. In 1971, Rodgers scored the opening touchdown by returning a punt 72 yards during the game against Oklahoma, contributing to a 35–31 final result. Johnny Rodgers delivered a standout performance in the 1973 Orange Bowl, leading his team to a 40–6 win over Notre Dame.