The Evolution Of Herschel Walker

From a stellar career as an athlete to a GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, one thing has been a constant: his friendship with Donald Trump.

From humble beginnings in rural Georgia to one of the highest-profile, but mystifying candidates for the U.S. Senate in recent memory, Herschel Walkerโ€™s is one interesting journey.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Early Life

Image: AP MARIETTA DAILY OUT; GWINNETT DAILY POST OUT; WXIA OUT; WGCL OUT

Herschel Walker was born March 3, 1962 in Wrightsville, Georgia, a small, rural town about two-and-a-half hours southeast of Atlanta. Always a gifted athlete, he starred in football, basketball and track. He earned the now-discontinued Dial Award for his school athlete of the year in 1979.

A record run at UGA

Image: AP ASSOCIATED PRESS

In 1980, Walker entered college at the University of Georgia where he quickly made his mark at the top running back in the schoolโ€™s history. In 1980, he set a then NCAA record for rushing yards by a freshman. He was the star of a 1981 team that won college footballโ€™s national championship and went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 1982. But despite all his on-field accolades, Walker never completed his studies at UGA, a fact that would later give birth to another of his factual distortions on the campaign trial that he had graduated at the top of his class.

Choosing the USFL over the NFL

Image: AP ASSOCIATED PRESS

Walker left UGA in 1982 as the USFL, a fledgling competitor to the NFL, was just getting off the ground. While the NFL was bigger and more established, the USFL had an advantage in luring a young star who wanted to make his money right away: it didnโ€™t require draftees to have completed all four years of college or wait for their classmates to do so. Walker opted for the USFLโ€™s New Jersey Generals, which would turn out to foreshadow the most consistent and important business and political relationship of his life.

Start of a lifelong friendship

Image: AP AMES COLBURN 07351111Globe Photos/MediaPunch /IPX

That friend was Donald Trump. At the time, Trump was already the bombastic talker we know today, but he had nowhere near the national profile. In New York, he was known as a brash real estate developer who overtalked his own deals. After the 1983 season, though, Trump bought the Generals and Walker ended up as a lot than his employee.

NFL Glory

Image: AP ASSOCIATED PRESS DEC. 27, 1987 FILE PHOTO

By 1985, the USFL was defunct and Walker needed a new home. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys but didnโ€™t start playing until 1986. After two years in the backfield with a fellow Heisman winner, Tony Dorsett, the Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in what became one of the most famous personnel moves in NFL history. Walker went on to play 11 more seasons in the NFL, with the Vikings, Eagles, Giants and Cowboys again, but his fortunes in the NFL never reached the heights of players like Emmett Smith and Darren Woodson, that the Cowboys would ultimately receive as a result of the trade. Walker also never got a Super Bowl ring.

Retirement from football

Photo: Getty Images Esther Lin / Contributor

After walking away from football, Walker kept a relatively low profile, living between Georgia and Texas, marrying and divorcing, becoming a public speaker but never losing his zeal to compete as an athlete. That led to a brief stint in the early 2000s as an MMA fighter. It was also during these quiet years that some darker chapters took place, including allegations of domestic violence and struggles with his mental health.

Remember this guy?

Image: AP ASSOCIATED PRESS MARCH 8, 1984, FILE PHOTO

Itโ€™s not clear at what point Walker developed an interest in politics, but he had remained a close friend of Trump over the years. While other Black folks bristled at the open racism of Trumpโ€™s campaign for president, Walker publicly supported his friend, and Trump would return the favor in the years to come.

Washington bound?

Image: AP MARIETTA DAILY OUT; GWINNETT DAILY POST OUT; WXIA OUT; WGCL OUT

As Trumpโ€™s star rose, Walker appeared more visible in the political world back in his native Georgia. To conservatives in the state, he was an antidote to ascendant Black political voices like former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and current Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams. In 2021, he announced his intention to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by the Rev. Raphael Warnock, who pastors Atlantaโ€™s famed Ebenezer Baptist Church. In a crowded GOP primary for the seat in May, Walker easily beat his competitors with Trumpโ€™s support.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

Steve Harvey's Gorgeous $15 Million Once Owned by Tyler Perry

Steve Harvey’s Gorgeous $15 Million Once Owned by Tyler Perry

With a 70,000 gallon infinity pool to a home theater and wine cellar, Steve Harvey's mansion is one of the most expensive properties in Atlanta, Ga ...
The Best, Black TV Shows, Movies to Stream on AppleTV+

The Best, Black TV Shows, Movies to Stream on AppleTV+

From Brian Tyree Henry getting down and dirty to David Oyelowo searching for a fresh start: we've got what you need to watch! ...

Tupac Associate Young Noble's Death Illuminates Alarming Fact About Suicide Rates Among Black Men

Tupac Associate Young Noble’s Death Illuminates Alarming Fact About Suicide Rates Among Black Men

On July 4, 2025, emcee Young Noble-- member of Outlawz and Tupac affiliate-- died of an apparent suicide ...
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Recent Dissent Proves She's Unafraid to Challenge Her Colleaguesโ€”Unlike Clarence Thomas

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Recent Dissent Proves She’s Unafraid to Challenge Her Colleaguesโ€”Unlike Clarence Thomas

Compared to Thomas, Jackson is a breath of fresh air. As one of the youngest members on the court, she often uses her platform to connect with all Americans ...
After Three Open-Heart Surgeries, This Black Father Discovered an Unusual Cure

After Three Open-Heart Surgeries, This Black Father Discovered an Unusual Cure

Donnie Seals, Sr. and his son, Eric share a transformational trip in a PBS documentary they hope will help other Black people ...
Tory Lanez's Dad Just Shared This Surprising Message About His Son's Prison Sentence

Tory Lanez’s Dad Just Shared This Surprising Message About His Son’s Prison Sentence

Lanez and his camp have been relatively quiet following the shocking stabbing he endured back in May ...
Skip Bayless' Says Has 'White Guilt' Over 'Sinners,' But Black Internet Has Questions

Skip Bayless’ Says Has ‘White Guilt’ Over ‘Sinners,’ But Black Internet Has Questions

The longtime sports commentator took a detour from hot takes to share his emotional reckoning and social media wasn't feeling it ...
Black America Reacts To Elon Musk's Plans to Start a Third Political Party

Black America Reacts To Elon Musk’s Plans to Start a Third Political Party

Despite Black folks' overwhelming criticism towards President Trump, they weren't too happy about Elon Musk's America Party either ...
Why The Black Guy Who Severely Beat A Man on Frontier Airlines Wasn't The One Arrested

Why The Black Guy Who Severely Beat A Man on Frontier Airlines Wasn’t The One Arrested

During a flight from Philadelphia to Miami, the man was allegedly minding his business until he noticed something sinister happening right behind him ...
Why Many Believe Trump Suggested Slavery to Farmers Who Want to Keep Their Long-term Undocumented Workers

Why Many Believe Trump Suggested Slavery to Farmers Who Want to Keep Their Long-term Undocumented Workers

The President accidentally (?) said what was exactly on his mind when talking about illegal immigrants ...
Rapper Threatens to 'Blow Somebody Up' With July 4 Fireworks. Prepare Your Stomach For What Happened Next

Rapper Threatens to ‘Blow Somebody Up’ With July 4 Fireworks. Prepare Your Stomach For What Happened Next

Rapper and podcast host 4extra learned a painful lesson after posting a now-viral July 4 video ...
Indiana Dad Learns His Fate After Drowning His 3-Month-Old Son in a Bucket of Laundry Detergent

Indiana Dad Learns His Fate After Drowning His 3-Month-Old Son in a Bucket of Laundry Detergent

During an initial search of the family home, police could not locate the infant child, but the following day, they made an unthinkable discovery ...
You'll Never Believe How Diddy's Jail Inmates Reacted to His Verdict

You’ll Never Believe How Diddy’s Jail Inmates Reacted to His Verdict

It looks like the celebration over Diddy's not guilty verdict carried over in the most unexpected place. We've got the tea! ...
New AI TikTok Trend Has Gorillas Posing as Black Women, and Folks are <i>Pissed</i>

New AI TikTok Trend Has Gorillas Posing as Black Women, and Folks are Pissed

Yes, it's exactly what you think it is. And yes, you should be offended ...
Rumi Carter's Funniest Moment Even Made Beyoncรฉ Stop Singing and Giggle

Rumi Carter’s Funniest Moment Even Made Beyoncรฉ Stop Singing and Giggle

Rumi's latest moment on the Cowboy Carter World Tour was her most adorable yet ...
Why Diddy, Young Thug Attorney Brian Steel Is The White Johnnie Cochran

Why Diddy, Young Thug Attorney Brian Steel Is The White Johnnie Cochran

If you are rich, Black and get caught up, there is only one number you should call ...
'Sinners' Releases in Black American Sign Language. Here's What That Means

‘Sinners’ Releases in Black American Sign Language. Here’s What That Means

The deaf community was plagued by racial segregation, so Black Americans decided to create their own rendition of the language to serve their communities ...
A Burger King Employee Throws a Drink on a Child in Viral Video, and Black TikTok Goes Nuts

A Burger King Employee Throws a Drink on a Child in Viral Video, and Black TikTok Goes Nuts

The video of the volatile incident is making rounds on the internet and has everyone talking ...
Why NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Tried To Play The Black Card...Literally

Why NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Tried To Play The Black Card…Literally

Mamdani appears to have an interesting past when it comes to how he identifies racially, but what's it really all about? ...
If Poor Black, White People Unite, They'd Be An Unstoppable Force, But Here's Why The Powers That Be Won't Let Them

If Poor Black, White People Unite, They’d Be An Unstoppable Force, But Here’s Why The Powers That Be Won’t Let Them

We need to understand that America's current racial political divisions did not happen naturally. People in power did not want Black and white people to work together ...