For the tenth consecutive year, former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El is on the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday. He is one of 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
The Big Ten MVP and a first team All-American in 2001, Randle El was also sixth in Heisman Trophy balloting in 2001 after he finished 13th in 2000. The Riverdale, Ill., native was named All-Big Ten in 1999, 2000 and 2001, and he was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1998.
Randle El was the first player in NCAA history to score 40 touchdowns (45) and throw for 40 TDs (42), the first to record over 2,500 total yards in four seasons, and the first to both pass for over 6,000 yards and rush for over 3,000 yards.
He played in the NFL for 10 years with Pittsburgh and Washington, and was a member of the 2005 Super Bowl champion Steelers. He threw a second half touchdown pass in the game to help clinch the Super Bowl win.
Now an NFL assistant coach, Randle El joined the Detroit Lions after spending the past two seasons (2019-20) as an offensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his tenure, the Buccaneers offense ranked first in passing yards and passing touchdowns, second in points and third in total offense. He most recently helped lead the Buccaneers to a 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
As a player, Randle El originally entered the NFL as a second-round draft selection (62nd overall) with the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Indiana in the 2002 NFL Draft. In nine years split with Pittsburgh and Washington, he appeared in 143 career games (71 starts) and logged 370 receptions for 4,467 yards (12.1 avg.) and 15 touchdowns along with 438 rushing yards, 323 passing yards and six passing touchdowns. Additionally, Randel El added 4,316 yards and six touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns.
Randle El also appeared on the Hoosiers’ basketball and baseball teams at different points throughout college.
“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.47 million people have played college football and only 1,038 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”
The announcement of the 2022 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2022, with specific details to be announced in the future.
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