Johnny Rodgers

Johnny Rodgers earned the nickname “The Jet” during his days at Omaha Tech High School, and went on to become one of the greatest college football players of all-time while playing for his homestate University of Nebraska Corn Huskers. While playing at Nebraska he served as the team’s top receiver, running back and punt return specialist, and broke NCAA all-time records with 5,586 all-purpose yards and seven punt return touchdowns. In 1972 he was awarded the Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Award as the nation’s best player and earned All-American honors for the second consecutive season. In 1973 he was selected in the first round by the San Diego Chargers but instead chose to sign with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. During his four years in the CFL he earned four All-Star selections and led the Alouettes to a 1974 Grey Cup title. In 1977 he returned to the states and played two seasons with the San Diego Chargers. In 1999 the University of Nebraska named Rodgers their Player of the Century. He’d go on to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.