Danny Wuerffel Honored with Reds Bagnell Award for Lifelong Impact on College Football
Gainesville, Fla. - Danny Wuerffel’s name is already etched in college football history, but this week, the former Florida Gators quarterback added another prestigious honor to his legacy. The Maxwell Football Club announced that Wuerffel has been named the 2024 recipient of the Francis "Reds" Bagnell Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the game of college football.
Wuerffel will officially receive the award during the 89th Maxwell Awards Gala, scheduled for March 14 at the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre in Atlanta.
For fans of Florida football-and really, fans of the sport at large-Wuerffel’s impact is impossible to ignore. As the signal-caller during one of the Gators’ most dominant eras, he led Florida to four SEC titles and guided them to the program’s first-ever national championship. Along the way, he broke 17 NCAA and school records, and in 1996, he completed a historic sweep of college football’s most coveted individual honors: the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athlete.
That on-field excellence earned him a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013, but Wuerffel’s story didn’t end with his final college snap.
After being selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1997 NFL Draft, Wuerffel spent time with several NFL teams and even earned a World Bowl title during a stint in NFL Europe. He officially retired from professional football in 2004, but his influence on the game-and the lives connected to it-only deepened from there.
Since 2005, Wuerffel has been the face and namesake of the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, which honors college football players who demonstrate excellence in community service, leadership, and impact off the field. The award has become a staple of the college football postseason, shining a spotlight on athletes who use their platform to serve others.
Wuerffel's commitment to service extends far beyond symbolic gestures. Through his work with Desire Street Ministries and the Wuerffel Foundation, he has spent the better part of two decades helping underserved communities across the country.
His mission? Use football as a vehicle to develop leaders, build stronger neighborhoods, and inspire a new generation to give back.
It’s that kind of sustained, purpose-driven leadership that perfectly reflects the spirit of the Reds Bagnell Award. Named after the former Penn quarterback and longtime advocate for the game, the award honors those who have left a lasting imprint on college football-not just through wins and stats, but through service, integrity, and leadership that transcends the field.
For Wuerffel, it’s not just about what he did in The Swamp-it’s about what he’s done ever since. And now, the game is honoring him right back.
Florida Fans Eye 2026 Season Under Coach Sumrall
In other Gator news, the anticipation is already building for the 2026 football season. After 18 consecutive sellouts at The Swamp, fans can now lock in their spot for what promises to be an exciting new chapter under head coach Jon Sumrall.
The home slate includes matchups against FAU (Sept. 5), Campbell (Sept.
12), Ole Miss (Sept. 26), South Carolina (Oct.
10), Oklahoma (Nov. 7), and Vanderbilt (Nov. 21).
If the buzz around the program is any indication, Gainesville will be rocking again come fall.