Herschel Walker (born March 3, 1962) is a former professional American football player, bobsledder, sprinter, and mixed martial artist. He played college football for the University of Georgia, earned consensus All-American honors three times and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. Walker began his professional football career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL), before joining the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). In the NFL, he also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Walker was born in Augusta, Georgia to parents Willis and Christine Walker. He was raised in Wrightsville, Georgia. He was one of seven children in his blue collar family. Walker said that as a child he was overweight and had a speech impediment. Walker's mother taught him not to use these problems as excuses in life.