Happy Heisman Pi Day

2002 Heisman winner Carson Palmer and 1986 Heisman winner Vinny Testaverde.

Happy Pi Day to all who celebrate!

Today, we’re combining Pi Day with a fun fact Friday.

To celebrate Pi Day with Heisman winners’ jerseys, we need to start with a No. 3. The only Heisman winner to don that number is 2002 recipient Carson Palmer.

Now, we could go with 2018 winner Kyler Murray next, wearer of No. 1, but we have yet to crown a Heisman winner who sported a No. 4. So no dice, Kyler.

But not to worry. We have had five Heisman winners who wore No. 14, which is tied for the most-common jersey number used by a Heisman member along with No. 20.

Our No. 14 winners include Yale’s Clinton Frank, Notre Dame’s John Lattner, Miami’s Vinny Testaverde, BYU’s Ty Detmer and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford.

Testaverde holds the distinction of playing the most seasons in the NFL of any Heisman winner at an impressive 21. His two-decades-plus of action in the league featured stops at seven teams, including two stints with the New York Jets.

Testaverde, one of only 13 players ever to play in the NFL at 44 years old or older, finished his pro career with 46,233 passing yards and 275 touchdown passes. 

His passing yards rank 16th all time in the NFL while his passing touchdowns rank 19th. Testaverde’s passing yards are the second-most ever by a Heisman winner, just 14 yards short of Palmer. His passing touchdowns also only trail Palmer among Heisman winners.

Testaverde also has the distinction of being tied for third for most NFL rushing touchdowns by players over 40 with two. Fellow Heisman winner Doug Flutie is second with four, trailing only Tom Brady’s 11. 

Testaverde played for the Tampa Bay (1987-92), Cleveland (1993-95), Baltimore (1996-97), the New York Jets (1998-2003), Dallas (2004), the Jets again (2005), New England (2006) and Carolina (2007).

He was among 10 Heisman winners who played for Cleveland and among seven who played quarterback, a septet that includes Les Horvath, Detmer, Johnny Manziel, Robert Griffin III, Baker Mayfield and Jameis Winston.

Testaverde’s final NFL stop was with Carolina in 2007. He was the first of five Heisman-winning QBs to play for the Panthers and was followed there by Cam Newton, Chris Weinke, Mayfield and Carolina’s current starter, Bryce Young.