Nearly 27 years after becoming the University of Miami’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Vinny Testaverde is a Hall of Famer.
Testaverde, the 1986 Heisman recipient, is among 14 former players and coaches who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December, it was announced Monday. The remaining members of the class will be revealed Tuesday.
He becomes the seventh former Hurricanes player to enter the Hall, joining defensive back Bennie Blades (2006), fullback Don Bosseler (‘90), linebacker Ted Hendricks (‘87), defensive tackle Russell Maryland (‘11) and quarterbacks Gino Torretta (‘09) and Arnold Tucker (‘08). Former UM coaches Jack Harding (’80), Andy Gustafson (’85) and Jimmy Johnson (’12) also have been inducted.
Testaverde was a redshirt on Miami’s 1983 national championship team before going 23-3 as a starter and directing the Hurricanes to three straight bowl games. His Canes lost Penn State in the ’87 Fiesta Bowl, which decided that season’s national champion.
The Elmont, N.Y., native also won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Trophy in ’86.
Testaverde played 21 seasons in the NFL after being the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. The two-time Pro Bowl selection finished his pro career seventh all-time in passing yards (46,233) and eighth in touchdowns (275).
The 2013 Class will be inducted Dec. 10, 2013, at the 56th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The inductees also will be honored guests at the Sugar Bowl.
