Heisman Trophy: Cam Newton and 8 Other Shady Characters Who Won the Award

As Auburn kept winning and Cam Newton kept putting up ridiculous numbers, it was easy to put Newton's name at the top of the Heisman short list.

And rightfully so. Newton has done what few others this year have been able to do: single-handedly take over a game and lead his team to an undefeated record.

While there are unquestionably others who can and should be considered for the Heisman Trophy in 2010, Newton was, for the most part, a consensus front-runner.

Until about two weeks ago.

Allegations of a "pay-for-play" scandal (not to mention allegations of cheating at Florida) have impacted Newton's Heisman campaign. And while everyone was pretty dismayed at the allegations, there wasn't an overwhelming sense of shock. After all, Newton is far from the first questionable character to compete for the Heisman, much less win the award.

Here are some of the more infamous winners.

O.J. Simpson

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LAS VEGAS - DECEMBER 5: OJ Simpson speaks in court prior to his sentencing at the Clark County Regional Justice Center December 5, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Simpson and co-defendant Clarence 'C.J.' Stewart were sentenced on 12 charges, including felony

Is there any question that the Juice would make this list?

In 1968, the year Simpson won the Heisman Trophy, he led the nation in rushing at Southern California with 1,709 yards and 22 touchdowns. After being a Heisman candidate in his junior year (1967), Simpson was a shoe-in in '68. He won the award by a record 1,750 voting points—a record that still stands.

Simpson went on to a successful career in the NFL and was the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season (1973). Simpson later moved on to commentating, acting and crime.

While Simpson was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife, he was found liable in a civil trial. That forced him to sell everything he owned, including his Heisman Trophy.

Simpson is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence in Nevada for armed robbery, kidnapping, coercion and conspiracy in a dispute over sports merchandise.

Johnny Rodgers

Nebraska's "Player of the Century" and 1972 Heisman winner, Johnny "The Jet" Rodgers was convicted for a 1971 gas station robbery.

To his credit, Rodgers kept his nose relatively clean after his run in with the law in 1971, but even so, Rodgers holds the distinction of being the only felon to win the Heisman (as his conviction came before he won the trophy).

Mike Rozier

Rozier came to Nebraska by a happy accident. As coaches watched high school game film, they noticed a player on the team opposing the player they intended to recruit. Rozier, who had gone fairly unnoticed until that point, was recruited by Nebraska. His low grades prevented him from enrolling at Nebraska, so he first attended Coffeyville Junior College and eventually won the 1983 Heisman Trophy.

In 1990, as a member of the NFL's Houston Oilers, Rozier was arrested after a police officer witnessed a shot being fired from the vehicle in which Rozier was a passenger.

While Rozier did not fire the shot, he admitted the gun was his and was subsequently charged with unlawful possession of a weapon.

Charles White

The 1979 winner, Charles White, had four horrible seasons in the NFL, rushing for only 942 yards total.  He later admitted his troubles were due to a cocaine addiction.

Much to White's credit, he was able to recover from the addiction and went on to some success with the Los Angeles Rams, where he was a Pro Bowl selection and won the NFL's "Comeback Player of the Year" award. He could be considered as a model for other troubled athletes.

White finished his football career as a running backs coach at Southern California.

Ricky Williams

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Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams checks play September 7, 2003 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida. The Houston Texans defeated the Dolphins 21 - 20 to open the NFL football season. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

The 1998 Longhorn Heisman winner also holds the distinction of breaking Tony Dorsett's all-time Division I FBS rushing record.  He also broke the FBS record for rushing touchdowns and overall scoring and tied the record for most 200-yard rushing games.

The "Texas Tornado" naturally went on to a career in the NFL. After being drafted by New Orleans, Williams was traded to the Miami Dolphins. In Miami, Williams tested positive for marijuana use on multiple occasions, violating the NFL policy on drug use. After allegedly failing yet another drug test, Williams announced his "retirement" in August of 2004.

Williams returned to the Dolphins in 2005, served his suspension and promptly, if not surprisingly, failed yet another drug test, and was suspended for the entire 2006 season. Williams played the 2006 season in the CFL, which then instituted a rule preventing players on suspension with the NFL from playing in the CFL in the future.

Amazingly, Williams allegedly failed a fifth drug test by the NFL in 2007. He agreed to submit himself to multiple drug tests per week as a condition of his reinstatement.

Only time will tell if Williams has indeed cleaned up his act.

Billy Cannon

The 1959 Heisman winner from LSU is best remembered for two things: leading the Bayou Bengals to their first AP national championship and printing $50 million in counterfeit money found in a buried ice chest in his backyard.

After becoming one of the greatest players in AFL history, Cannon earned a DDS degree from Tennessee and became an orthodontist.

By the early 1980s, Cannon was apparently in some serious financial trouble, reportedly from a gambling problem. Cannon served a little over two years in federal prison for his counterfeiting scheme but later went on to rebuild the dental clinic for the Louisiana state prison system.

Charles Woodson

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13 Sep 1997: Cornerback Charles Woodson of the Michigan Wolverines stands on the field during a game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 27-3.

Charles Woodson led the Maize and Blue to a national championship in 1997 to go along with his Heisman that year.

While certainly not the most egregious of errors ever made by a Heisman winner, Woodson was nonetheless arrested for (gasp) public intoxication in 2004.

Apparently, Woodson and one of his Oakland Raiders teammates got into a woman's car while enjoying a night out on the town after a victory. When the woman asked them to get out, they refused. 

Eventually, a police officer had to ask them to get out, and (probably due to the aforementioned intoxication) they again refused to get out. Eventually, the two were removed from the car and placed into another car—one belonging to the police department.

Little came of the arrest, and Woodson went on to be named the 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the AP.

Reggie Bush

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NEW YORK - DECEMBER 10: Running back Reggie Bush #5 of the USC Trojans poses with the 2005 Heisman trophy after winning the award at the 71st Annual Heisman Ceremony on December 10, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)

Mr. Bush holds the distinction as the only person ever to relinquish the Heisman Memorial Trophy,  Chances are the trophy would have been retracted had he not forfeited the award on his own.

One thing sets Reggie Bush apart from all of the other people mentioned in this list: Reggie Bush's transgression is the only one that dealt directly with the subject for which he won the award—college football.

Others were arrested for drugs, violence, even counterfeiting. But none of them were implicated (much less found responsible by the NCAA) of violating NCAA rules and policies.

Reggie Bush was the best player on the college football field in 2005. O.J Simpson was the best player on the field in 1968. In the grand scheme of things, Reggie Bush is (far and away) a better human being than O.J. Simpson, and there are not many who would argue. 

But the simple fact remains: Simpson was eligible during the 1968 season. Bush was not during the 2005 season.

Because of Bush, voters may shy away from Cam Newton fearing that he, too, may one day be declared ineligible, and therefore be forced to relinquish the trophy. Only time will tell.