Heisman Trophy Winner
President, Desire Street Ministries
www.desirestreet.org
Danny Wuerffel was born May 27, 1974 in Pensacola, Florida. He grew up as the son of an Air-force Chaplin, living all over the country as well as three years in Spain. Danny graduated as valedictorian of Fort Walton Beach High School in Florida, where he led his football team to the state championship.
For higher education, he chose the University of Florida. While at the University of Florida, Danny led the Gators to four SEC championships and a National title. He won the 1996 Heisman trophy, the William V. Campbell Award, (formerly known as the Draddy award for the Nation’s top student-athlete), and set 17 NCAA and University of Florida records. He graduated with High Honors and earned his bachelor’s degree in Public Relations.
The New Orleans Saints drafted Danny in 1997. After three years with the Saints, Danny played with the NFL’s European league, winning the World Bowl Championship and was selected the league’s MVP by the European media. Danny played one season with each of the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Washington Redskins.
In 2004, Danny decided to retire from professional football to work full time with Desire Street Ministries, which was started to transform one of America’s impoverished neighborhoods in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans into a desirable place to live. In 2008, the Desire Street Ministries headquarters moved to Atlanta in order to increase the vision set years ago in New Orleans of encouraging and empowering local leaders across the country to transform their neighborhoods through spiritual and community development.
Danny is a popular speaker, sharing how his experiences playing football have helped shape his life, and has written one book, Danny Wuerffel’s Tales from the Gator Swamp: Reflections of Faith and Football.
His wife, Jessica, is his best friend. They have two sons, Jonah and Joshua, and a daughter, Macy.
