Johnny Lattner John Joseph " Johnny " Lattner ( born October 24 , 1932 ) is a former American football player . While playing college football for the University of Notre Dame , he won the Heisman Trophy in 1953 . He also won the Maxwell Award twice , in 1952 and 1953 . Lattner played one season in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1954 . Football career . Lattner attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park , Illinois . Fenwick , along with other Chicago - area Catholic schools , was a breeding ground for Notre Dame and Big Ten football programs , and Lattner held offers from top college football programs across the country . He initially considered the University of Michigan because head coach Bennie Oosterbaan ran the single wing offense , a scheme that fit Lattner well at Fenwick . Lattner eventually chose Notre Dame , which offered a Catholic education and the highest level of competition . Lattner played halfback for the University of Notre Dame under head coach Frank Leahy from 1950 to 1953 . He won the Heisman Trophy in 1953 , and won the Maxwell Award twice , in 1952 and 1953 . In 1953 , the Irish went 9 – 0 – 1 , finishing second to Maryland in the final Associated Press poll . Lattner rushed for 651 yards ( averaging 4 . 9 yards per carry ) and scored nine touchdowns , caught 14 passes for 204 yards , had four interceptions and tallied two TDs on only 10 kickoff returns . Lattner appeared on the cover of " Time Magazine " on November 9 , 1953 with the caption " a bread and butter ball carrier " , a phrase bestowed upon Lattner by Leahy . In 1954 , Lattner was drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers , but played with them for only one season before entering the United States Air Force for two years . There , during a football game , he suffered a severe knee injury that prevented him from ever playing professional football again . Lattner ' s single season in Pittsburgh was a success , as he totaled over 1 , 000 all purpose yards on offense and special teams . As a result , he was named to the NFL 1954 Pro Bowl as a kick and punt returner . Lattner coached for a period in the late 50 ' s , at St . Joseph High School and the University of Denver . His coaching career ended in 1961 when Denver cut it ' s football program . Lattner was elected to the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1979 . Personal . An Oak Park resident for most of his life , Lattner currently lives in Melrose Park , Illinois and resides in Anna Maria Island , Florida during the winter months . He recently served as vice president of sales at PAL Graphics Inc . in Broadview , Illinois . An Irish Catholic , Lattner has been a longtime participant in the Chicago Saint Patrick ' s Day Parade , often carrying the banner of Saint Patrick . The " Chicago Tribune " noted that nobody " out - Irished " Lattner , who also sports a kilt and green stockings for the festivities . In 1962 , Lattner opened Johnny Lattner ' s Steakhouse on Madison Street in Chicago . An electrical fire in 1968 severely damaged the restaurant and claimed 3 lives . Lattner ' s Heisman Trophy was on display in the restaurant and was destroyed in the fire . Lattner sent the Downtown Athletic Club a check for $ 300 along with newspaper coverage of the fire and received a replacement . A fire four years earlier had ended better for Lattner . While driving home from work in the early morning of November 17 , 1963 , he spotted a fire in an apartment building on the west side of Chicago . He called the fire department , then roused 25 residents from one of the buildings and carried a five - year - old girl to safety . He was credited with helping 40 people escape injury . Lattner later operated a second restaurant at Marina City from 1968 – 1972 . Lattner routinely rents out his Heisman Trophy to tailgates and other events with the proceeds donated to charity . Lattner himself claims that he is not really sure where the trophy could be at any given moment . At halftime during Fenwick ' s 2007 game versus Hubbard at Soldier Field , Lattner ' s # 34 Jersey was retired . Lattner has twenty - five grandchildren , several of whom have also played football for Fenwick High School . Robert Spillane , a class of 2013 graduate , is currently committed to play football at Western Michigan University .