The short answer
The Downtown Athletic Club created its college football award in 1935 and commissioned sculptor Frank Eliscu to make a distinctive bronze player rather than a conventional cup. New York University player Ed Smith was the principal model. Jay Berwanger received the first DAC Trophy. After coach and club athletic director John W. Heisman died in 1936, the award was renamed in his memory. The Trust now presents one trophy to the player and another to the player's school.
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The Downtown Athletic Club wanted no ordinary cup
New York’s Downtown Athletic Club created an annual college football award in 1935. Its committee rejected a standard bowl or loving cup as too generic for the athletic performance it wanted to recognise.
The first award was called the DAC Trophy. Chicago’s Jay Berwanger received it on 9 December 1935.
Frank Eliscu built the pose from players
The club commissioned sculptor Frank Eliscu. He used Ed Smith, a leading player at New York University, as his principal model and refined the work after observing Fordham players demonstrate a sidestep, forward drive and strong-arm action.
The result is not a portrait of one play or John Heisman. It is a composed bronze action: ball secured, body driving forward, free arm extended. The figure is deliberately broader than one of the specialised positions in American football.
John Heisman’s name arrived in 1936
John W. Heisman was a player, coach and Downtown Athletic Club athletic director associated with major changes in football, including advocacy for the forward pass. He died in October 1936.
The club renamed its young award the Heisman Memorial Trophy that year. The namesake and the model are therefore different people.
The electorate is geographically distributed
The Trust’s system uses sports journalists distributed across United States regions, along with former winners and a public vote. Ballots rank candidates, with points assigned by position.
The trophy measures a voting judgement about an outstanding season, not a statistical formula like the World Athletics rankings.
Player and school each receive a trophy
The Heisman Trust recognises the institution’s role by awarding two physical trophies: one to the winner and one to the school. That arrangement differs from a travelling championship cup.
It also differs from the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which belongs to a winning professional franchise rather than an individual college player.
The image outgrew the club that created it
The ceremony moved beyond the Downtown Athletic Club and became a national broadcast event. The distinctive pose made the trophy legible even without its name.
Its history survives because four roles remain separable: the DAC created the award, Eliscu designed it, Smith modelled it, and Heisman became its memorial namesake. Collapsing them into one “person on the trophy” story loses what was actually made.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the player on the Heisman Trophy?
NYU football player Ed Smith served as sculptor Frank Eliscu's principal model.
Who designed the Heisman Trophy?
American sculptor Frank Eliscu designed it for the Downtown Athletic Club.
Who won the first Heisman?
Jay Berwanger received the first award in 1935, when it was still called the DAC Trophy.
Why is it named after John Heisman?
The Downtown Athletic Club renamed the award after his death in 1936 to honour his influence on football.
Is the pose a real photograph of John Heisman?
No. It depicts an active player and was developed from Ed Smith and observed football movements.
Why are two trophies presented?
The Heisman Trust awards one to the player and a second to the player's school.