Nile Kinnick just picked up another piece of college football immortality.
ESPN has named the Iowa legend the best player in the history of the sport to wear No. 24, a fitting honor for the Hawkeyes’ only Heisman Trophy winner and the man whose name lives on at Kinnick Stadium.
Kinnick’s case is built on more than reputation. In his 1939 Heisman season, he threw for 638 yards and 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 374 yards. The awards piled up from there: First-Team All-American, Big Ten MVP, AP Male Athlete of the Year, and, of course, the Heisman Trophy.
For Iowa, Kinnick is already part of the program’s foundation. The Hawkeyes currently have only two retired numbers, his No. 24 and No. 62, which belonged to Cal Jones, a three-time All-American and Outland Trophy winner recognized as the nation’s best interior offensive lineman.
That naturally opens the door to the larger question of which other Iowa greats could someday join that group.
No. 31 for Jack Campbell makes a strong case. The Butkus Award winner and Unanimous All-American piled up 305 tackles and was a force in the middle of the defense. No. 16 for Chuck Long has plenty of support too, since he still owns Iowa’s passing records and remains one of the program’s defining quarterbacks.
Then there’s the tight end debate, where Iowa’s history makes the choice almost impossible. Sam LaPorta wore No.
- George Kittle had No.
- T.J.
Hockenson wore No. 87, while Noah Fant wore No. 39.
Dallas Clark wore No. 44.
And if the conversation shifts to offensive linemen, the list only gets deeper. Tristan Wirfs, Tyler Linderbaum, and Brandon Scherff all belong in that mix as well.
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