BRAVO! A significant milestone that solidifies Georgia legend Herschel Walker’s status is his inclusion in TIME 100 magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in sports.

Herschel Walker’s name has echoed across decades of sports lore  not just because of what he did on the field, but also for how he transcended eras and categories of influence. In a recent announcement, TIME magazine included Walker in its 2025 list of the 100 most influential people in sports. That honor signals more than a nod to glory days  it affirms how deeply Walker shaped American athletics, culture, and identity.

To understand why this matters, it helps to look at Walker’s journey. A powerhouse running back at the University of Georgia, he blitzed the record books in just three seasons, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1982, the Maxwell Award, and helping lead the Bulldogs to a national title. His college resume included consensus All-American status all three years, and he remains the highest yardage rusher in school history.

Walker then turned pro in the USFL, rushing for a staggering 5,562 yards over three seasons—including a single-season record of 2,411 yards in 1985. He was the league MVP and made headlines as the face of new professional football’s bold era. Later in the NFL, he added All-Pro honors, multiple Pro Bowl appearances, and contributions that spanned teams like the Cowboys, Vikings, Eagles, and Giants. His all-purpose yardage across leagues ranks among the most enduring in football history.

Walker’s influence didn’t end with touchdowns. He represented the U.S. in bobsled at the 1992 Winter Olympics, served as an Ambassador for Youth Sports and Physical Fitness under multiple presidents, pursued business and philanthropic initiatives, and even entered national politics—winning the Republican nomination for Georgia Senate in 2022. Though his political run was controversial, his symbolic role remained powerful.

TIME’s decision to list Walker among the 100 most influential in sports isn’t about nostalgia  it’s about recognizing how Walker helped shape sports culture and influence beyond wins. His athleticism set training and crossover expectations decades before players routinely multi-sport or enter leadership roles off the field. Today’s generation sees athletes move among industries, and Walker helped start that trend.

This milestone also deepens his legend at Georgia. The University of Georgia retired his jersey No. 34 in 1985, and recent media ranks him as the greatest college player ever to wear that number, ahead of legends like Bo Jackson and Walter Payton.⁷⁸ His image is inseparable from Georgia football’s identity. To be named a TIME100 influencer in 2025 shows that the emotional and cultural hold he continues to have is still active in national conversation.⁷

Walker’s influence weaves through coaching, broadcasting, NIL activism, and youth training programs. He reminds fans that modern athletes  but particularly Bulldogs—stand on shoulders built by players who combined elite play with public roles. Georgia’s current stars cite Walker as inspiration, not just for yards and awards, but for legacy, activism, and leadership.

It’s meaningful that TIME placed Walker in the sports category. That category spans athletes, coaches, executives, and media innovators still shaping sport today. Walker outranks marketing executives, Nike designers, and NFL executives  not by corporate clout, but by staying relevant, visible, and symbolic within generations of fans, platforms, and rivalries.

Georgia fans see it too: this isn’t just good press, it’s historical validation. Walker’s gridiron greatness is memorably etched, but rare media recognition like a modern TIME100 listing says he’s more than legend—he’s an architect of culture. That recognition carries through recruiting, branding, and institutional legacy for Georgia Football.

IMPACT FOR GEORGIA: Recruits see that Georgia’s legacy names aren’t just echoes  they still matter. Media mentions, alumni events, youth outreach programs all use Walker’s name to inspire new players. Walker’s TIME inclusion strengthens that through a national lens: when kids in California or Texas ask who Walker is, they find fresh stories  not old clips  from TIME itself.

At a broader level, the honor helps bridge generations. Younger fans may not remember his Carolina stints or USFL feats, but articles like TIME’s explain why his presence still resonates: he was a rare athlete who thrived across sports, platforms, and public spheres. That means his legacy isn’t locked  it’s alive.

Walker himself commented in speeches and interviews about how he built discipline through early work in track, taekwondo, and multi-sport competition. His recognition by TIME points to those traits as influential patterns in modern youth training, sports cross-benefits, and athlete branding.

This milestone also invites reflection on who else shaped sports in over a century of play. TIME’s list is curated annually  names rotate  but to be included in 2025 places Herschel Walker alongside athletes, innovators, and policymakers still effecting change. That’s especially notable for a retired player nearly 40 years past his college career.

Georgia’s community sees this moment as validation, not surprise. Local fan forums have long called BUY FOR WALKER merchandise and statues, arguing Georgia lives on his legacy. Programs like Ring the Bell and Sanford Stadium traditions often recall Walker’s big games. Now national publications echo: Walker’s relevance extends beyond nostalgia, and that kind of media validation is rare for former players.

What’s striking is the cumulative view: college legend, professional pioneer, youth advocate, political figure  Walker wears many hats. His inclusion in the TIME list indicates sports influence isn’t just performance; it’s leadership, culture, and public presence. That combination is rare enough for Hall of Fame status  Walker is now recognized as triple threat: athletic legend, public influencer, and cultural icon.

For modern Georgia  both university and fan base  the milestone arrives at a time of on-field dominance and program redefinition. Celebrating Walker’s honor helps reinforce the narrative that Georgia doesn’t just produce great players  it shapes movements. It signals to recruits, to donors, and to national media that contributions extend beyond wins and losses.

Looking forward, expect renewed Walker presence in recruiting materials, alumni events, and youth outreach that highlight his TIME100 status. For Georgia’s NIL platform, naming Walker a 2025 influential sports figure adds visibility. For current players, it reinforces that Georgia tradition is alive—not just in memory, but in current recognition.

In short, Walker’s inclusion among the 100 most influential people in sports by TIME cements a full-circle legacy. Decades after winning the Heisman and leading Georgia to a national championship, he remains a touchstone  not just in Georgia football history, but in sports culture as a whole. His name is now tied not only to numbers, rings, or titles, but to global influence and generational impact.

That milestone matters because legacy is built through change-makers who transcend eras. Herschel Walker didn’t just run past defenders  he ran past expectations, across continents, up podiums, and into TIME’s spotlight as a sports icon adapting across time. Now, long after the first snap, he still matters most.