Former NFL player John Abraham has been named the first recipient of the Herschel Walker Award, according to an announcement by Maxwell Football Club Executive Director Mark Wolpert. The award honors former collegiate or professional football players who return to complete their undergraduate degrees.
Abraham, who played at the University of South Carolina from 1996 to 1999, was drafted in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Over a 15-year career with teams including the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals, he earned multiple Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors and became one of the league’s top leaders in sacks.
The Herschel Walker Award is named after Herschel Walker and recognizes perseverance, accountability, and dedication to education. It aims to highlight individuals who finish what they started and demonstrate that academic achievement holds value beyond sports accomplishments.
Despite his successful football career, Abraham had a longstanding goal to finish his college degree. In May 2025, he returned to Columbia and received his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a focus on psychology and sociology. This accomplishment came more than twenty years after leaving college for the NFL.
“His return to the classroom required the same discipline, structure, and resilience that once defined his play between the lines. Balancing coursework, personal responsibilities, and reflection on his career, Abraham embraced the process with humility and purpose — determined not simply to attend classes, but to complete what he started,” according to the Maxwell Football Club.
The formal presentation will be held at the 89th Maxwell Awards Gala at Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre on March 14, 2026. Tickets for this event can be purchased through https://maxwellfootballclub.org/gala-tickets. Other national awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will also be featured at this event.
