1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders joined 49ers owner Jed York, Warriors CMO Chip Bowers, and Earthquakes President Dave Kaval for a thought leadership panel in San Francisco on Thursday called Minds Behind The Game hosted by Chat Sports.
Prior to the panel starting, Charles was asked about his 1997 punt return against Ohio State by Chat Sports CEO James Yoder.
In 1997, Woodson was the star CB of #1 Michigan in a top-5 match up against Ohio State in Ann Arbor. With Michigan winning 7-0 in a tight game in the 2nd quarter, Ohio State punted the ball to Woodson, who returned the punt 78 yards into the south end zone at Michigan Stadium, putting Michigan up 14-0 and likely securing a Heisman Trophy victory over Peyton Manning. Six years prior to Woodson's punt return TD against the Buckeyes (almost to the day), Desmond Howard ran back a 91 yard punt return against Ohio State into the same end zone, in the 2nd quarter, both called on TV by Keith Jackson and famously posed like the Heisman Trophy in the end zone.
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The question, did Woodson consider posing for the Heisman in homage to Michigan's prior Heisman winner Howard?
"I did, man, that was the plan. It's crazy, we planned that if I scored a touchdown against them, I was going to pose. So, I ran down their (OSU) sideline and I got into the end zone and dropped the ball and was about to do it and my roommate and other teammates tackled me down to the ground."n
Also: Woodson's quotes on Tom Brady, gambling, and free agency
See video of the eerily similar punt return touchdowns from Michigan's last 2 Heisman winners below:
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQy2ohW9OaI[/embed]
Photos of Charles Woodson from Minds Behind The Game with Chat Sports:
