OMAHA, Neb. – Johnny Rodgers, 1972 Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Fame member, was in the intensive care unit of Omaha hospital Monday with COVID-19.
Rodgers business partner Denny Drake said the Cornhuskers great was hospitalized on Thanksgiving morning with the virus at Nebraska Medical Center, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Rodgers also had pneumonia but seemed to improve after a few days in the hospital, Drake said. However, he took a turn for the worse last week and was admitted to the ICU.
Rodgers, 70, has since improved and “feels much better,” Drake said.
Drake told the World-Herald on Sunday: “He was pretty weak until late yesterday. “He called me this morning, and his voice sounds great.”
Rodgers did not immediately return a text message left by the Associated Press on Monday.
Rodgers, nicknamed “The Jet”, grew up in Omaha, played for Nebraska’s national championship teams in 1970-1971 and won the Heisman Championship as a senior in 1972. He is best known for his electric batting. back from his 1971 encounter with championship rivals Oklahoma. He was also a Consensus American for the previous two seasons. He was the NFL’s first-round drafter in 1973, but played most of his professional career in Canada.
