The race for the 2024 Heisman Trophy is wilder than a late-night Waffle House brawl. The field? Stacked. The anticipation? Through the roof. No SEC guys in the mix (for once), and the favorites aren’t even quarterbacks! Yes, there is a tough fight between Colorado’s two-way phenom Travis Hunter, and Boise State’s bulldozer of a running back, Ashton Jeanty. Then, we have the Miami Hurricanes’ Cam Ward and the Oregon Ducks’ Dillon Gabriel, who are as tough as nails, but it doesn’t look like they stand a chance.

They are just there for the clicks. Many are favoring Hunter to win the trophy and so, Warren Sapp, the Buffs’ graduate assistant, should be happy, right? After all, his player could win the prestigious Heisman Trophy. Well, it looks like he just gave Travis Hunter a backhanded compliment.

On December 14, former Super Bowl champ-turned-graduate assistant coach for the Buffs randomly decided to bless Instagram with some cryptic gems. He casually dropped, “MY #2 and #3 Favorite Heisman finalists!!”

First, he gave mad props to Gino Torretta, the 1992 Heisman king, and then threw some love at Colorado’s Swiss army knife and potential Heisman winner, Travis Hunter. But hold up—if they’re #2 and #3, who’s rocking that #1 spot? Let’s be real, low-key; it has gotta be Sapp himself.

The man finished sixth in 1994:
1. Rashaan Salaam, Colorado
2. Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State
3. Steve McNair, Alcorn State
4. Kerry Collins, Penn State
5. Jay Barker, Alabama
6. Warren Sapp, Miami (Fla)

Sapp has been a legend in his own mind since day one, and who could blame him? Ain’t nobody hyping up Warren Sapp better than Warren Sapp. Classic. However, if you’re scratching your head, wondering, ‘Who the hell is Gino Torretta?’ let me help you real quick. Torretta was the Miami Hurricanes’ golden boy back in the day, leading them to two national championships in 1989 and 1991.

Yeah, we know Miami’s defense carried those squads, but give the man some credit—he still had to sling it. In his 1992 Heisman campaign, Torretta threw for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns, back when ‘airing it out’ meant throwing less than Marino-level bombs. The dude snagged every major QB award you could think of—the Davey O’Brien, the Walter Camp, the Maxwell—you name it.

Now, let’s talk about his NFL career. The man got drafted in the 7th round of the 1993 draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Brady-esque case? Nope. Gino got tossed around the league like pizza dough. 5 teams in 5 years—the Vikings, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts.

However, the man is a poster child for why a Heisman doesn’t guarantee NFL greatness. Ashton Jeanty can keep his head high if things don’t go as he planned. But hey, a ring is a ring, and Torretta’s college legacy forever remains goated.

Was Warren Sapp of Heisman caliber?

Let’s not kid ourselves—Warren Sapp was that guy at Miami. He didn’t just play football; he terrorized quarterbacks for fun. After Torretta peaced out to the NFL, Sapp took over the spotlight. In 1994, as a junior, he racked up 84 tackles and a ridiculous 10.5 sacks, basically living in the backfield. That year, Sapp finished sixth in the Heisman race—high for a defensive lineman but still a snub.

The hardware speaks for itself: the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player), the Lombardi Award (best lineman), and the Bill Willis Award (best defensive lineman). And when draft day rolled around in 1995, Sapp went 12th overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he built a Hall of Fame career. Seven Pro Bowl appearances, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a Super Bowl ring later, Sapp cemented himself as one of the best defensive players ever. But here’s the catch: defensive guys don’t win the Heisman. The last one to do it? Charles Woodson in ’97, who, like Travis Hunter, played both sides of the field.

Still, Sapp’s resume is more loaded than a five-star buffet. Sure, he didn’t win the Heisman, but does it matter? Safe to say, nope. So, back to Sapp’s Instagram post. Was it a little self-serving? Absolutely. But that’s Sapp for you—always the showman, always stirring up the narrative. In his eyes, Travis Hunter might be phenomenal, but nobody—not even a two-way star—could touch Warren Sapp.

As for Hunter, he is the closest thing to a modern-day Charles Woodson, and that’s high praise. If he pulls off the Heisman win, it’ll be a game-changer for non-QBs everywhere. What do you think?