Drafted first in the NFL history, yet he didn't suit up for a single professional game.
Rewritten Article:
The NFL draft is an annual spectacle, drawing millions of viewers and thousands more in person, with the anticipation that the three-day event could shape the fortunes of teams for years to come. It's quite a contrast from its humble beginnings, where the primary pick didn't even know it was happening and walked away without earning a cent.
The first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago, was the top pick in that first draft year. Standing at 6 feet tall and 195 pounds, he was a versatile player who dominated on offense, defense, and special teams. He was known as a human highlights reel, scoring touchdowns and kicking extra points, even serving as the team's kicker.
Coach Clark Shaughnessy once declared, "You can say anything superlative about him, and I'll double it." His teammates agreed, with 104 out of 107 opposing players in Berwanger's senior season voting him as the best halfback they'd ever seen. He was even named "The Man in the Iron Mask" due to the faceguard he wore to protect his twice-broken nose.
In 1935, the Downtown Athletic Club in New York recognized Berwanger's impact on the college game by giving him the inaugural "most valuable player east of the Mississippi" trophy, later renamed the Heisman Trophy in honor of the club's late athletic director. When Berwanger received the news of his accolade, he was more excited about the trip to New York — his first flight — than the trophy itself.
The NFL's first formalized draft in 1936 was nothing like the modern-day event with its prime-time TV coverage and fanfare. The Philadelphia Eagles, with the worst record the previous season, selected Berwanger, but he was unaware of the draft. He didn't find out until he read about it in the newspaper. The Eagles didn't think they could afford Berwanger's salary demands, and the Bears couldn't either. A meeting between Berwanger and the Bears resulted in a disappointing $25,000 offer for two years, an amount far beyond the league's means during the Great Depression.
Berwanger opted to pursue a career outside of football, working in manufacturing and later founding a successful company. He turned down the chance to play in professional football, which would have grossed him millions today. He wasn't the only player drafted first but never playing a game; the Heisman Trophy's first black recipient, Ernie Davis, was picked first in 1962 but died of leukemia before ever playing for the Cleveland Browns.
Berwanger's name, though, still holds a unique distinction in the NFL. He was the very first pick in the very first draft, but his timing was just a little off. If he had been drafted even a few years later, he might have experienced a different outcome. Berwanger once said, "I still think of myself as the first, kind of like being George Washington."
- Despite the NFL draft's spectacle today, Jay Berwanger, the first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, walked away from the first draft without earning a cent.
- Known for his versatility in sports, Berwanger dominated on offense, defense, and special teams, a human highlights reel who scored touchdowns, kicked extra points, and served as the team's kicker.
- The Philadelphia Eagles, with the worst record the previous season, selected Berwanger in the NFL's first formalized draft in 1936, but he was unaware of the draft.
- Berwanger's career choice veered away from professional football, turning down millions that could have been earned today, and instead worked in manufacturing and founded a successful company.
- Tragically, the first black recipient of the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis, was picked first in 1962 but died of leukemia before ever playing for the Cleveland Browns, joining Berwanger as a draft pick who never played a game.
