This week, Touchdown Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Nebraska Cornhuskers legend and 2001 Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Crouch discussed his support for The Wuerffel Foundation at the Pickle Bowl: Heisman Edition event at Life Time Pickleball NYC and his thoughts on the versatility in the NFL today.
“It’s quite the honor to be invited to come to New York City to be a finalist for the Heisman trophy,” Crouch explained. “Your name is etched in that history forever, and I always tell them to enjoy yourself while you’re here. It’s a short trip. It will go by fast, but just enjoy the moment, look around, and be thankful for what you can give.“
Crouch joined Cam Newton, Tim Tebow, Charlie Ward, and Johnny Rodgers for an action-packed day of pickleball exhibitions, VIP play, and fan engagement. Pickleball pros Ryan Sherry and Kate Fahey joined them on the court.
“Pickle Bowl: Heisman Edition event is something that we really love to do. The overall foundation’s mission is to inspire greater service and unity in the world,” said Blair Wortsmith, Director of Programs and Operations for the Wuerffel Foundation. “This event will go towards raising funds where Danny (Wuerffel) gets to invest in other nonprofit leaders, especially those that have their foundations, athletes that are up and coming in the area. We’re also very excited to be here and grateful for Life Time for the Heisman Trophy Trust’s partnership on this event.”
Super grateful for an amazing PickleBowl: Heisman Edition!
Thanks so much to all who made this happen to support our work @WuerffelFdn @WuerffelTrophy @HeismanTrophy @TimTebow @CameronNewton pic.twitter.com/qSLP8mniJ0— Danny Wuerffel (@DannyWuerffel) December 15, 2024
Crouch was initially drafted by the St. Louis Rams in 2002 as a wide receiver but still wanted to play quarterback. Teams, however, saw Crouch as too short. He displayed fantastic athleticism for Nebraska and finished his college career as one of three quarterbacks in Division I-A history to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards.
“I was more of an athlete, and so I think a lot of guys that have come through this Heisman trophy ceremony and are going to the next level have had struggles too, like, ‘Hey, where do they put us?’ because we’re all really great athletes,” Crouch explained. “We come here, and sometimes it doesn’t translate to the NFL, other times it does.
“If I was coming out of college, now I might have a better chance in the NFL. But, you know, things happen for a reason. So I felt like where I went to school was running option football, which was very unique and I was just lucky to be part of that era in Nebraska.”
The following links provide more information on Pickle Bowl and The Wuerffel Foundation.
