Herschel Walker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herschel Walker
Walker in 2013
United States Ambassador to the Bahamas Nominee
Assuming office TBD
President	Donald Trump
Succeeding	Kimberly Furnish (Chargé d'Affaires)
Co-chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
In office 2019–2020
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Dominique Dawes Drew Brees
Succeeded by	Elena Delle Donne José Andrés
Personal details
Born	Herschel Junior Walker (1962-03-03) March 3, 1962 (age 63) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Cindy DeAngelis Grossman ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 2002)​ Julie Blanchard ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	4 children
Alma mater	University of Georgia (BS)
Occupation	Athlete businessman politician
Awards	Full list
Football career
No. 34
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1962-03-03) March 3, 1962 (age 63) Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Johnson County (Wrightsville, Georgia)
College:	Georgia (1980–1982)
NFL Draft:	1985 / Round: 5 / Pick: 114
Career history
New Jersey Generals (1983–1985) Dallas Cowboys (1986) Minnesota Vikings (1989–1991) Philadelphia Eagles (1992) New York Giants (1995) Dallas Cowboys (1996)
Career highlights and awards
USFL MVP (1985) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1987, 1988) 2× Pro Bowl (1987, 1988) National champion (1980) Heisman Trophy (1982) Maxwell Award (1982) Walter Camp Award (1982) SN Player of the Year (1982) UPI Player of the Year (1982) Chic Harley Award (1982) SEC Athlete of the Year (1983) 3× SEC Player of the Year (1980–1982) 3× Unanimous All-American (1980–1982) 3× First-team All-SEC (1980–1982) Georgia Bulldogs No. 34 retired
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 1,954 Rushing yards: 8,225 Rushing touchdowns: 61 Receptions: 512 Receiving yards: 4,859 Receiving touchdowns: 21
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American who was a famous football player. He was a running back and won the Heisman Trophy in 1982. This award goes to the best college football player. He also won the Maxwell Award, another top college football honor.

After college, he played 15 years of professional football. He played in the United States Football League (USFL) and the National Football League (NFL). Later, he became involved in politics. He was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2022. He is also the person chosen to be the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas by President Donald Trump for his second term.

Walker played college football at the University of Georgia. He was named the USFL's MVP in 1985. When the USFL ended, Walker joined the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice and was a second-team All-Pro in 1987 and 1988. In 1989, Walker was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. This trade is seen as one of the most one-sided trades in NFL history. It helped the Cowboys become a very successful team in the 1990s. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants before ending his career with the Cowboys. In 1999, Walker was added to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Beyond football, Walker was part of the U.S. bobsleigh team at the 1992 Winter Olympics. He also started businesses in food. From 2019 to 2020, he helped lead the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition under President Donald Trump. In 2022, Walker ran for the U.S. Senate in Georgia but lost to Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock. On December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump announced he picked Walker to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.

Early Life and Education

Walker was born in Augusta, Georgia. He grew up in Wrightsville, Georgia, with his parents, Willis and Christine Walker. He was one of seven children. Walker has shared that he was overweight and had a stutter when he was a child.

High School Achievements

Walker went to Johnson County High School in Wrightsville. There, he played football, basketball, and ran track. He played for the Johnson County Trojans football team from 1976 to 1979. In his last year, he ran for 3,167 yards. This helped the Trojans win their first state championship. He also received the first-ever Dial Award in 1979. This award recognized him as the best national high school scholar-athlete of the year.

Walker also competed in track and field for the Trojans. He took part in events like the 100-yard dash and the shot put. He won the shot put, 100-yard dash, and 220-yard dash at the Georgia High School Association T&F State Championships. He also helped his team win the 4×400 relay.

In his 2008 book, Walker wrote that he was the Beta Club president and class valedictorian. The Beta Club is a group that honors students for their academic success. A valedictorian is the student with the highest grades in their graduating class. However, news reports later questioned if he was the valedictorian. His campaign website later changed this to say he graduated "top of his class."

College Education and Sports

Walker also claimed he graduated from the University of Georgia "in the top 1% of his class." But he actually left college early to play professional football and did not finish his degree. In 2021, his campaign website removed these claims. Walker later said he never claimed to have graduated.

At the University of Georgia, Walker played running back and ran track. He was named an All-American three times for both football and track. In 1982, he won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award. He was one of the first college players to finish in the top 10 for rushing yards after only playing three years. In 1980, as a freshman, he set a new record for rushing yards by a freshman. He was also the first "true freshman" (a first-year student) to be named a first-team All-American.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

United States Football League

In 1983, Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals. This team was part of the USFL, a professional football league that competed with the NFL. The team was later bought by Donald Trump. Walker was named the USFL's MVP in its last season, 1985.

National Football League

Dallas Cowboys (First Time)

The Dallas Cowboys had wanted Walker to play for them. They picked him in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft. In 1986, he joined the Cowboys. He played as a fullback alongside Tony Dorsett. This was only the second time in NFL history that two Heisman Trophy winners played in the same backfield. Walker quickly showed his talent. In one game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he gained 292 yards in total offense. This included an 84-yard touchdown run and an 84-yard touchdown catch.

In 1987, Walker became the team's main running back. He played in 12 games and gained 891 rushing yards and 715 receiving yards. He scored 8 touchdowns. In 1988, Walker had his best NFL season. He gained 1,514 rushing yards and 505 receiving yards. He played many different positions, becoming a key player for the team. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl in both 1987 and 1988.

In 1989, the Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings. In return, the Cowboys received five players and six future draft picks. This trade is often called one of the most one-sided trades in NFL history. It helped the Cowboys build a very strong team that won championships in the 1990s.

Minnesota Vikings

When Walker arrived in Minnesota, there was a lot of excitement. Many thought he would help the Minnesota Vikings win a Super Bowl. However, the Vikings did not make it to the playoffs during his two full seasons there. Some people felt that the team did not use his skills correctly.

Philadelphia Eagles

After three seasons with the Vikings, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Walker in 1992. They hoped he would help them reach the Super Bowl. That year, he ran for 1,070 yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes for 278 yards and two receiving touchdowns. The Eagles made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

In 1993, Walker continued to be an important player. He ran for 746 yards and caught 75 passes for 610 yards. In 1994, he became the first NFL player to have single plays of 90 or more yards rushing, receiving, and returning kicks in one season. He played three seasons in Philadelphia.

New York Giants

The New York Giants signed Walker in 1995. He played as a third-down back, which means he often came into the game on third downs to help with passing or running. In his only season with the Giants, he led the team in kick returns.

Dallas Cowboys (Second Time)

In 1996, Walker returned to the Dallas Cowboys. He played as a kickoff return specialist and a third-down back. He also played fullback, mainly to handle the ball. Walker retired from professional football at the end of the 1997 season.

Professional Statistics

USFL

NFL

Other Sports and Activities

In 1992, Walker was part of the United States' bobsleigh team. He competed in the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. He was the brakeman (or pusher) in the two-man bobsled race. Walker and his teammate Brian Shimer finished seventh.

In 2007, Walker said he would try mixed martial arts (MMA). MMA is a sport where fighters use different types of combat. In September 2009, he signed with a company called Strikeforce. He was 47 years old at the time. He trained at the American Kickboxing Academy. In his first MMA fight on January 30, 2010, Walker won by technical knock-out. He won his second fight on January 29, 2011, also by TKO.

In 2009, Walker was a contestant on the TV show The Celebrity Apprentice. In 2014, he won season 3 of Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. Walker also has a fifth-degree black belt in taekwondo, a Korean martial art.

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Business Activities

In 1984, Walker opened a D'Lites fast food restaurant in Athens, Georgia. In 2002, he started Renaissance Man Food Services. This company sells chicken products. He also founded H. Walker Enterprises in 2002. This company was a main business for many of his other projects. Renaissance Man Food Services was the largest of these.

Walker has sometimes given higher numbers for how many people his companies employed. He also gave higher numbers for how much money his companies made. For example, he said Renaissance Man Food Services had $70 million in yearly sales. But in a legal case, he later said the company made about $1.5 million in yearly profits between 2008 and 2017.

He also said his company controlled many chicken processing plants. However, in 2018, Walker said his company did not own any plants. Instead, it worked with plant owners to sell chicken products with his brand name. In 2020, Renaissance Man Food Services told the U.S. government it had eight employees. Walker had previously said it had over 100 or even 600 employees.

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Renaissance Man Food Services received two loans. These were from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loans totaled $180,000, and $111,300 of that was later forgiven. Walker had criticized other "big companies" for taking PPP money. He was also a board member of a hotel group that received over $9 million in PPP loans. This group fired many of its staff.

Walker said his company would donate 15% of its profits to charities. But the charities he named did not confirm receiving any donations.

Political Activities

Walker's official portrait as a co-chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition

In 2014, Walker appeared in a TV ad supporting Jack Kingston for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. In 2018, he supported Brian Kemp for governor of Georgia.

Walker supported Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. He spoke for Trump at the 2020 Republican National Convention. In 2018, Trump chose Walker to be on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. He was removed from this position in March 2022 by President Biden.

2022 U.S. Senate Election in Georgia

In 2021, Donald Trump encouraged Walker to run for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. Walker, who lived in Texas, had to move back to Georgia to run. Other Republican candidates waited to see if Walker would run. In August 2021, Walker announced he would run for the Senate seat held by Democrat Raphael Warnock. He quickly gained support from Republicans.

During his campaign, Walker made claims about working in law enforcement. He said he was an "agent" and "spent time at Quantico at the FBI training school." News reports found no proof of these claims. He had been named an honorary deputy sheriff in two counties.

Many of Walker's statements during the campaign were called "gaffes" or confusing. For example, he showed what looked like a law enforcement badge during a debate. This was not allowed. He also made a speech comparing his opponent to a "vampire" and saying he wanted to be a "werewolf."

Walker faced Raphael Warnock in a runoff election on December 6, 2022. He lost the election and accepted the results that night.

Political Views

2020 Presidential Election

After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Walker supported Donald Trump's efforts to change the election results. Walker shared ideas that the election had "country-wide election fraud" without showing proof. He asked for new votes in several states. He also suggested that the 2021 United States Capitol attack was a planned event to distract from election fraud.

In July 2022, when asked if Joe Biden had fairly won in Georgia, Walker said, "I have no clue." But in his October debate with Warnock, he stated, "President Biden won and Raphael Warnock won."

Economy

Walker believes in reducing government rules to help businesses grow. He supports cutting taxes and increasing the production of fossil fuels. He also wants to lower healthcare costs by having more choices in the market. He thinks putting closed oil fields back into use and reducing oil rules will help lower inflation.

Environment and Climate Change

When asked about the Green New Deal, an environmental plan, Walker said he was against it. He said, "Since we don't control the air our good air decided to float over to China's bad air so when China gets our good air, their bad air got to move. So it moves over to our good air space. Then now we got we to clean that back up." In August 2022, he questioned why money was being spent on trees. He said, "Don't we have enough trees around here?" He also said America is not ready for a "green agenda" and should keep having "gas-guzzling cars."

Gun Control and School Shootings

When asked about gun violence in May 2022, Walker talked about the story of Cain and Abel. He suggested looking at young men's social media and putting money into mental health. He did not support new gun laws after the Uvalde school shooting.

LGBT Rights

Walker is against allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. He said, "Let's get men out of women's sports." He also talked about transgender children, saying, "Jesus may not recognize you. Because he made you a boy. He made you a girl." When asked about same-sex marriage, Walker said states should decide if it is legal.

National Security

Walker supports Donald Trump's wall at the border with Mexico. He also believes the United States should spend a lot on its military.

Diplomatic Career

On December 17, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he plans to choose Walker to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.

Personal Life

Walker has lived in Westlake, Texas, and in the Las Colinas area of Irving, Texas. In August 2021, when he was getting ready to run for U.S. Senate, he registered to vote in Georgia. He listed his home as Buckhead, Georgia, which is owned by his wife. However, tax records show his main home in 2021 and 2022 was still in Texas.

Family Life

Walker married Cindy DeAngelis Grossman in 1983. They met in college. They divorced in 2002. Walker married Julie Blanchard in 2021. Walker has four children.

Mental Health

Walker giving a speech on mental health, 2017

Walker has spoken openly about being diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID). This is a mental health condition. He has worked as a spokesperson for a mental health program for veterans. Walker wrote a book in 2008 called Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder. He said he wrote it to help people understand mental illness better.

In his book, Walker wrote that he had many different identities, or "alters." He said some of these alters did good things, but others acted in extreme ways. He said he often could not remember these actions. He was diagnosed with DID in 2001. This was after he sought help because he felt tempted to harm someone.

Walker said his divorce was due to his behavior caused by the disorder. His ex-wife said that for most of their marriage, she did not know he had any disorder. She said things changed after his diagnosis. She described times when he acted very sweetly, and other times when he became very violent. She said once he held a razor to her throat. Walker said he did not remember this because blackouts were a symptom of his disorder.

Awards and Honors

On July 4, 2017, a street in Wrightsville, Georgia, was renamed Herschel Walker Drive. This street is where Johnson County High School is located. In the 1980s, the American Academy of Achievement gave Walker their Golden Plate Award. This was for being an All-American Football Player.

NFL

• Two-time Pro Bowl selection

USFL

• 1985 USFL MVP

NCAA

• 1980 National champion
• 1982 Heisman Trophy winner
• 1982 UPI College Football Player of the Year
• Three-time Unanimous All-American
• Georgia Bulldogs No. 34 retired
• College Football Hall of Fame (class of 1999)

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Herschel Walker para niños

• Black conservatism in the United States
• List of Strikeforce alumni