Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Herschel Walker
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Herschel Walker made an impact.
Herschel Walker is an American diplomat and former professional football player. Currently the United States ambassador-designate to the Bahamas since 2025, he is a member of the Republican Party. Walker was the Republican nominee in the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia, but was unsuccessful. As a football player, Walker played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as a running back.
1976: Played for the Johnson County Trojans
In 1976, Herschel Walker started playing football for the Johnson County Trojans high school football team.
1979: State Championship and Dial Award
In 1979, during his senior year, Herschel Walker rushed for 3,167 yards, helping the Johnson County Trojans win their first state championship. He was also awarded the inaugural Dial Award as national high school scholar-athlete of the year.
1980: Freshman Season and National Championship
During his freshman season in 1980, Herschel Walker set the NCAA freshman rushing record and played a major role in helping Georgia win the de facto national championship with a victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
1982: Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award Winner
In 1982, Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award while playing for the University of Georgia.
1983: Signed with the New Jersey Generals
In 1983, Herschel Walker signed with the New Jersey Generals, attracting a promotional offer with McDonald's and Adidas.
1984: George Rogers and Earl Campbell team up
In 1984, George Rogers and Earl Campbell teamed with the New Orleans Saints.
1984: D'Lites Fast Food Restaurant Franchise
In 1984, Herschel Walker franchised a D'Lites fast food restaurant in Athens, Georgia.
1985: MVP in USFL and Joined Dallas Cowboys
In 1985, Herschel Walker was the MVP of the USFL during its final season. After the USFL folded, Walker joined the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.
1985: Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys
In 1985, the Dallas Cowboys selected Herschel Walker in the fifth round of the NFL draft, acquiring his NFL rights.
1986: Signed by the Cowboys and moved to fullback
In 1986, Herschel Walker was signed by the Cowboys and moved to fullback. He rushed for the game-winning touchdown against the New York Giants. He had a franchise-record 292 yards of total offense against the Philadelphia Eagles.
1987: Complaints to Cowboys Management
In 1987, Herschel Walker complained to Cowboys management about being moved around between three different positions. He played in 12 games (11 starts), registering 891 rushing yards, 715 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns.
1987: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Honors
In 1987, Herschel Walker earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors with the Dallas Cowboys.
1987: Consecutive Pro Bowls
In 1987, Herschel Walker made the first of two consecutive Pro Bowls.
1988: Consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro Honors
In 1988, Herschel Walker earned consecutive Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors with the Dallas Cowboys.
1988: NFL Running Back and Pro Bowls
In 1988, Herschel Walker established himself as an NFL running back, reaching his NFL career highs of 1,514 rushing yards and 505 receiving yards, while playing seven positions: halfback, fullback, tight end, H-back, wide receiver, both in the slot and as a flanker. He achieved two consecutive Pro Bowls (1987 and 1988).
1989: Trade to the Minnesota Vikings
In 1989, Herschel Walker was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in what is regarded as one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history.
1992: Competed in the Winter Olympics
In 1992, Herschel Walker competed in the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France as a member of the United States' bobsleigh team, placing seventh in the two-man competition.
1992: Winter Olympics Bobsleigh Team
In 1992, Herschel Walker was a member of the United States' bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics.
1992: Signed with the Philadelphia Eagles
In 1992, after three seasons in Minnesota, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Herschel Walker hoping he would help them reach the Super Bowl. That year, he rushed 267 times for 1,070 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 38 receptions for 278 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns as the Eagles advanced to the Divisional Round before being eliminated.
1993: 1993 Season with the Philadelphia Eagles
In the 1993 season, Walker rushed 174 times for 746 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He also had 75 receptions for 610 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns as a significant part of the receiving game for the 8–8 Eagles.
1994: First NFL player with 90+ yard gains
In 1994 Herschel Walker became the first NFL player to have one-play gains of 90 or more yards rushing, receiving and kick-returning in a single season.
1995: Signed with the New York Giants
In 1995, Herschel Walker signed a three-year contract with the New York Giants as a third-down back. He led the Giants with 45 kick returns at 21.5 yards per return.
1996: Rejoined the Dallas Cowboys
In 1996, Herschel Walker rejoined the Dallas Cowboys as a kickoff return specialist and third-down back.
1997: Retirement from football
Herschel Walker retired at the end of the 1997 NFL season.
1999: Elected to College Football Hall of Fame
In 1999, Herschel Walker was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
2002: Created Renaissance Man Food Services
In 2002, Herschel Walker created Renaissance Man Food Services, which distributes chicken products, and founded Savannah-based H. Walker Enterprises as an umbrella company.
November 2007: Appeared on Inside MMA
In November 2007, Herschel Walker appeared on the HDNet show Inside MMA, indicating he would take part in a mixed martial arts reality show.
2008: Walker publishes book on dissociative identity disorder
In 2008, Herschel Walker released the book "Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder" to help dispel myths about mental illness and to help others. He also served as a spokesperson for a mental health treatment program for veterans.
2008: Renaissance Man Food Services sales
In 2008, Walker claimed Renaissance Man Food Services had $70 million in annual sales.
September 2009: Signed with Strikeforce
In September 2009, it was announced that Herschel Walker had been signed by MMA promotion company Strikeforce to compete in their heavyweight division at the age of 47.
October 2009: Training Camp at American Kickboxing Academy
In October 2009, Herschel Walker began a 12-week training camp with trainer "Crazy" Bob Cook at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California.
2009: Walker claims Renaissance Man Food Services employs over 100 people
In 2009, Herschel Walker stated to the media that his company, Renaissance Man Food Services, had over 100 employees.
2009: Contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice
In 2009, Herschel Walker was a contestant in the second season of the reality television show The Celebrity Apprentice.
January 30, 2010: MMA Debut and Victory
On January 30, 2010, Herschel Walker defeated Greg Nagy via technical knock-out due to strikes at Strikeforce: Miami in his MMA debut.
January 29, 2011: Defeated Scott Carson in Strikeforce
On January 29, 2011, Herschel Walker defeated Scott Carson via TKO (strikes) at 3:13 of round 1 during a Strikeforce match.
2011: Walker becomes the first ambassador confirmed to the position since 2011
On October 7, 2025, Walkers nomination was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-47 vote, making him the first confirmed ambassador to the position since 2011.
2014: Walker supports Jack Kingston's Senate bid
In 2014, Herschel Walker appeared in a commercial paid for by the United States Chamber of Commerce supporting Jack Kingston's bid in the Republican primary election for the 2014 U.S. Senate election in Georgia.
2014: Won Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off
In 2014, Herschel Walker won season 3 of Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.
2016: Walker received money from Sotherly Hotel Group.
From 2016 to 2021, according to government records, Walker was paid $247,227 in total from Sotherly Hotel Group.
2016: Walker supports Donald Trump in presidential election.
In 2016, Walker supported Donald Trump in the presidential election.
2017: Renaissance Man Food Services sales
In 2017, Walker claimed Renaissance Man Food Services had $70 million in annual sales.
2018: Declaration Regarding Chicken Processing Plants
In 2018, Herschel Walker acknowledged that Renaissance Man Food Services did not actually own any chicken processing plants and instead partnered with plant owners to sell branded chicken products.
2018: Walker endorses Brian Kemp in Georgia gubernatorial election
In 2018, Herschel Walker endorsed Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election.
2018: Walker claims Renaissance Man Food Services employs over 600 people
In 2018, Herschel Walker told the media that Renaissance Man Food Services had "over 600 employees."
2018: Trump appoints Walker to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition
In 2018, President Trump appointed Herschel Walker to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
2019: Co-chair on President's Council
From 2019, Herschel Walker served as a co-chair on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
April 2020: Renaissance Man Food Services receives PPP loan while Walker criticizes "big companies" for receiving PPP money
In April 2020, Renaissance Man Food Services applied for and received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $180,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic's economic impact. Also in April 2020, Walker mocked "big companies" on Twitter for receiving PPP money, despite being a board member of the Sotherly Hotel Group, which received over $9 million in PPP loans while firing 90% of its hotel staff.
December 2020: Trump reappoints Walker to President's Council
In December 2020, President Trump reappointed Herschel Walker to another two-year term on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
2020: Walker acknowledges Biden's victory
During the October debate with Warnock, when asked if Joe Biden was the winner of the 2020 election, Walker stated, "President Biden won and Raphael Warnock won."
2020: Renaissance Man Food Services reports having eight employees
In 2020, Renaissance Man Food Services informed the U.S. government that it had only eight employees.
2020: Co-chair on President's Council
Until 2020, Herschel Walker served as a co-chair on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
July 2021: Doubts raised about Walker's effectiveness as a candidate
In July 2021, Fox News reported that some Georgia Republicans were unsure about Herschel Walker's effectiveness as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, citing the unknown positions on key issues.
August 2021: Walker announces run for Senate seat
In August 2021, Herschel Walker announced his run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Raphael Warnock.
August 2021: Walker registers to vote in Georgia
In August 2021, as he prepared to run for U.S. Senate, Herschel Walker registered to vote in Georgia, listing his residence as Buckhead, Georgia, a property owned by his wife, Julie Blanchard.
October 2021: McConnell endorses Walker for Senate
In October 2021, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Herschel Walker, signaling support from the Republican establishment.
2021: Walker received money from Sotherly Hotel Group.
From 2016 to 2021, according to government records, Walker was paid $247,227 in total from Sotherly Hotel Group.
January 2022: Walker claims to live in Texas during campaign event
In January 2022, during a political campaign event, Herschel Walker stated that he lives in Texas, despite having registered to vote in Georgia in August 2021. Tax records for 2021 and 2022 also show Walker's primary residence as Tarrant County, Texas, where he continues to receive property tax breaks.
March 2022: Biden removes Walker from President's Council
In March 2022, President Biden removed Herschel Walker from the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition after asking him to resign.
May 2022: Walker's comments on gun violence
In May 2022, Herschel Walker addressed gun violence, referencing Cain and Abel, proposing a department to monitor young men's social media, and suggesting investment in mental health. He also responded to a question about new gun laws after the Uvalde school shooting by saying he would like to "see it and everything and stuff".
June 2022: Walker acknowledges additional children
In June 2022, Herschel Walker publicly acknowledged having two additional sons and a daughter, one day after The Daily Beast reported on one of his additional sons. He stated that he "never denied" having four children. The Daily Beast later reported that Walker had lied to his 2022 Senate campaign about how many children he had.
September 2022: Walker's comments on transgender women in sports and transgender children
In September 2022, Herschel Walker voiced his opposition to transgender women participating in women's sports. He also commented on transgender children, stating concerns about what children were being taught regarding gender identity, claiming Jesus might not recognize them.
October 5, 2022: Walker's campaign fires political director
On October 5, 2022, Herschel Walker's campaign fired Taylor Crowe, his campaign political director, due to suspicions of leaking information to the media.
October 14, 2022: Walker and Warnock face off in Senate debate
On October 14, 2022, Herschel Walker and his Democratic challenger, Raphael Warnock, participated in their only debate for the Senate election. Walker was described as "aggressive and persistent," frequently interrupting Warnock, mocking him, linking him to President Biden, and displaying what appeared to be a law enforcement badge.
November 8, 2022: General election results in runoff
On November 8, 2022, since no candidate received a majority of the vote in the general election, Herschel Walker faced incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock in a runoff election.
December 6, 2022: Walker loses Senate runoff election
On December 6, 2022, Herschel Walker narrowly lost the Senate runoff election to incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock. The final vote tally was 51.40% for Warnock and 48.60% for Walker, Walker conceded the election that night.
2022: U.S. Senate Election in Georgia
In 2022, Herschel Walker ran unsuccessfully as the Republican Party's nominee in the U.S. Senate election in Georgia.
2022: Walker's campaign responds to 2012 allegations
In 2022, during Herschel Walker's political campaign, his team stated that the allegations in the 2012 police report regarding threats made to Myka Dean were false, and that Walker maintained a good relationship with Dean's parents.
December 2024: Nominated as United States Ambassador to the Bahamas
In December 2024, Donald Trump announced his nomination of Herschel Walker to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas. He was confirmed by the Senate.
December 17, 2024: Walker named presumptive nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas
On December 17, 2024, Herschel Walker was named by President-elect Donald Trump as his presumptive nominee for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.
March 25, 2025: Walker's nomination referred to Senate Committee
On March 25, 2025, Herschel Walker's nomination for U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
June 2025: Walker discloses financial assets and pledges to resign positions if confirmed
In June 2025, Herschel Walker disclosed his financial assets and pledged to resign from leadership positions at his businesses and divest individual stock holdings if confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.
September 2025: Walker appears before Senate Committee
In September 2025, Herschel Walker appeared before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, answering questions about drug trafficking and Chinese influence in the Caribbean as part of his nomination process for U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.
October 7, 2025: Walker's nomination as ambassador confirmed by Senate
On October 7, 2025, Herschel Walker's nomination as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-47 vote.
2025: United States ambassador-designate to the Bahamas
In 2025, Herschel Walker is expected to become the United States ambassador-designate to the Bahamas.
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