Honored Jerseys
Retired Jerseys
8 Lamar Jackson (Retired) - Lamar Jackson became the second UofL player to have his number retired when it was permanently dispayed on the stadium facade on Nov. 13, 2021. A three-year letterwinner for the Cardinals from 2015-17, Jackson became the youngest player ever (19 years, 337 days) to win the Heisman Trophy Award in 2016 and was named a finalist for the award in 2017. He won multiple national awards, including the Maxwell Award (2016), Walter Camp Player of the Year (2016), Associated Press Player of the Year (2016), CBS Sports Player of the Year (2016), The Sporting News Player of the Year (2016), ACC Player of the Year (2016, 2017) and ACC Offensive Player of the Year (2016, 2017) – the first time in league history a player won back-to-back awards.
The Pompano Beach, Fla., native set or tied 42 Louisville single-game, season, and career records during his time in the Derby City and owns seven Atlantic Coast Conference marks.
Jackson passed for 9,043 yards, 69 touchdowns and rushed 655 times for a school record 4,132 yards (6.3 avg.) and 50 touchdowns. He finished his career ranking sixth in the FBS for career rushing yards (4,132) by a quarterback and became the third player in FBS history to record 50 career rushing and 50 career passing touchdowns in a career. Playing only three seasons, Jackson is the only player in FBS history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and pass for at least 3,500 yards in a season (accomplished the feat in both 2016 & 2017).
Playing in only 38 career games at UofL, Jackson owns school records for total yards (13,175) and total yards per game (346.7 ypg - ACC record). Jackson was selected No. 32 in the 2018 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens and has become one of the top quarterbacks in the league. In his fourth season, Jackson was named the Associated Press and PFWA NFL MVP (2019) and PFWA Offensive Player of the Year (2019). During his MVP season, Jackson threw for 3,127 yards and a league high 36 TDs (also a franchise record). He added 1,206 rushing yards (sixth in the league), the most by a QB in NFL single-season history and helped Baltimore set a new NFL single-season team record for rushing yards (3,296).
16 Johnny Unitas (Retired) - Five games into Johnny Unitas’ freshman season (Unitas was allowed to play as a freshman because UofL didn’t belong to the NCAA), head coach Frank Camp knew he had something unique.Tossed in against St. Bonaventure when UofL was trailing 19-0, Unitas completed 11 consecutive passes, three for TDs, in a steady rain and helped put the Cards in front 21-19.
But the Cards couldn’t stop St. Bonaventure from kicking a last-ditch field goal and UofL lost 22-21.
Despite the loss, nothing could detract from Unitas’ astonishing performance.
With Unitas leading the way, UofL went on to win its next four games, including a 35-28 victory over Houston. Louisville was a 19-point underdog against the Cougars. One of the greatest plays of Unitas’ career took place in that game when the Cardinals were leading 28-21 and had the ball on their own eight-yard line in the fourth quarter.
After two unsuccessful running plays, Unitas dropped back into his own end-zone, sidestepped two defenders and threw a pass to Babe Ray who scored a 92-yard TD.
In his sophomore season, Unitas completed 77 of his 154 passes and threw 12 TDs. UofL went 3-8 that year. At Florida State, Unitas had one of his best games, completing 17 of 22 passes in a 41-14 victory. UofL, though, almost fumbled away Johnny Unitas after his sophomore season. After an administrative hassle which saw 15 players dismissed from school, leaving the Cardinal roster empty, Unitas thought about leaving and transferring to Indiana.
But Unitas decided against leaving the Cardinals when he was reminded that Indiana shunned him earlier in his career.
Unitas now holds just a few records at UofL, most of them eclipsed by quarterbacks John Madeya, Ed Rubbert, Browning Nagle, Jeff Brohm, Marty Lowe, Chris Redman, Dave Ragone, Teddy Bridgewater and Stefan LeFors. Unitas finished his career completing 247 of 502 passes for 2,912 yards and 27 touchdowns.
The rest of Unitas’ story is well documented. He left Louisville when he was the ninth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1955 and was cut by them in a numbers game. The Steelers had four quarterbacks; they only needed three. Unitas was the odd man out.
Unitas took a job with a Pittsburgh tiling company following the cut and then he latched on with the Bloomfield Rams, a semi-pro team. He made six dollars a game. But Unitas didn’t linger long in the bush league. The Colts got wind of him and invited him for a tryout. He made the team—signing for $7,000 and the Steelers made history for one of the biggest blunders of all time. Unitas was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1979 and his record 47-consecutive game touchdown passes is a record compared to Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.
77 Bruce Armstrong - A four-year letterwinner for the Cardinals from 1983-88, Bruce Armstrong became one of the most dominating and intimidating offensive lineman in the history of the school. He began his career at UofL as a tight end, recording 33 receptions in his first two seasons at UofL. He moved to offensive tackle where he anchored the Cardinals line for the next two seasons. He appeared in the 1986 Senior Bowl and was named UofL’s most outstanding lineman following his senior season.
9 Deion Branch - A former junior-college standout, Deion Branch played for the Cardinals from 2000-01. Despite playing just two seasons, Branch put up remarkable numbers. He stands seventh all-time in receiving yards with 2,204, ninth with 143 receptions and tied for fourth with 18 touchdowns. Branch registered his best season in 2001 when he caught 72 passes for 1,188 and nine scores. He also caught 71 passes for 1,016 yards and nine scores in his initial years with the Cardinals.
5 Teddy Bridgewater - A Miami native, Bridgewater was a dominant quarterback for the Cardinals leading the program to a resurgence from 2011-13. A three-year starter, Bridgewater threw for 9,817 career yards and 83 touchdowns, Bridgewater earned MVP honors leading the Cardinals to a 33-22 win over no. 2 Florida in the 2013 BCS Sugar Bowl. The next season, he passed for 447 yards and three touchdowns in UofL’s Russell Athletic Bowl win over Miami. He was drafted in the first round by Minnesota and played nine seasons in the NFL with the Vikings, Panthers, Broncos, Dolphins and Lions.
12 Brian Brohm - Brian Brohm is one of the top quarterbacks to ever go under center for the Cardinals. Brohm starred from 2004-07, and still ranks among the Cardinals’ career leaders in passing attempts (second, 1,185), passing yards (second, 10,775), passing efficiency (second, 157.92), completions (third, 780), completion percentage (third, .658), total offense (fourth, 10,819) and touchdown passes (fourth, 71). Brohm guided the 2006 Cardinals to a school best 12-1 record, including a 24-13 victory over Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl, and a No. 6 national ranking in the Associated Press final poll. He was named the Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player after completing 24 of 34 passes for 311 yards against the Demon Deacons.
11 Jeff Brohm - Another in a long line of great Cardinal quarterbacks, Jeff Brohm threw for 5,451 yards and 38 touchdowns in his career, which still stands in the top 10 all-time. Named the MVP of the 1993 Liberty Bowl, Brohm threw for a career-high 2,626 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior in 1993.
34 Ray Buchanan - Endearing himself to all Louisville fans as “Big Play” Ray, Ray Buchanan was a two-time collegiate All-American and NFL Pro Bowl selection. He jumped on the scene as a sophomore in 1990, piling up 59 tackles and three interceptions in helping the Cardinals to the 1990 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl (including a key field goal block against Memphis to preserve the bowl bid). He made his mark on the national stage as the Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl with five tackles, a fumble recovery and a recovery of a blocked punt in the end zone as Louisville drilled Alabama 34-7. Buchanan was named a Playboy All-American as he compiled 108 tackles and set a then-school record for interceptions with eight.
56 Doug Buffone - Doug Buffone was a standout on both sides of the football during his career with the Cardinals, playing offensive center and linebacker from 1962-65. He remains the Cardinals’ No. 3 all-time tackler with 479, just nine stops behind the program’s all-time leader Mark Sander (‘87-90). He is one of only four players to lead UofL in tackles for three consecutive seasons.
19 Michael Bush - Michael Bush, one of the school’s all-time leading rushers, is one of the top players to ever come out of the city of Louisville. The Louisville, Ky. native, played for the Cardinals from 2003-06 and guided the Cardinals to three-straight bowl appearances, including a win over No. 10 Boise State in the 2004 Liberty Bowl. He rushed 12 times for 96 yards in the win over the Broncos. The Cardinals finished that season 11-1 and captured a Conference USA title. One of the most highly recruited players to ever sign with the Cardinals, Bush rushed for 2,508 yards, which still stands eighth all-time in school history, while his 39 career touchdowns are third-most in school history. As a receiver out of the backfield, Bush caught 50 passes for 651 yards and two touchdowns during his three seasons with the Cardinals. The 2005 campaign was Bush’s best, rushing for 1,143 yards -- despite missing two games -- and a single-season record 23 touchdowns in leading the Cards to the Gator Bowl. That season saw Bush total six 100-yard rushing games, including a 204-yard, three-touchdown performance in a win over Florida Atlantic. He opened the year with 128 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Kentucky and added 159 yards and four touchdowns in a game at West Virginia.
Bush’s promising senior season was cut short in the opening game when he rushed for 128 yards and three scores in the Cardinals’ win over Kentucky. Bush suffered a season-ending injury in the third quarter of a 59-28 win over the Wildcats.
85 Harry Douglas - One of the top receivers in UofL history, (2004-07 at UofL) ranks second in career receiving yards at UofL with 2,924 yards and his 223 receiving yards in 13 catches against Kentucky in 2007 is a school single-game record. The wide receiver from Jonesboro, Ga., earned second-team All-America honors as a junior in 2007 and was twice honored on the All-Big East first team. Douglas’ 1,265 receiving yards in 70 receptions in 2006 is the second-most by a Cardinal as he helped UofL post a 12-1 record, win the Big East Championship and beat Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. His four career 150-yard receiving games is tied for the most by a UofL player and his 15 career receiving touchdowns ranks ninth at UofL.
58 Elvis Dumervil - Elvis Dumervil, who played for the Cardinals from 2002-05, spent four seasons as a defensive end and led the team in sacks in 2004-05 and was named the school’s first winner of the Bronko Nagurski Award for being the top defensive player in the country. A native of Miami, Fla., Dumervil had one of the most dominating seasons in school history in 2005 in leading the Cardinals in their first season in the BIG EAST Conference and an appearance in the Gator Bowl. That year, he set numerous NCAA records and school marks, including a Division I record with 10 forced fumbles. He also compiled 20.0 sacks, with an NCAA-best six against Kentucky. A product of Miami Jackson High, Dumveril concluded his career with 32.0 sacks, which stands second all-time in school history and 42.5 tackles for loss, which sits third all-time. He finished with 151 career tackles and 11 forced fumbles during his stellar career under the direction of John L. Smith (2002) and former head coach Bobby Petrino.
24 Anthony Floyd - All-American safety Anthony Floyd holds the school record for the most interceptions in school history, totaling 18 over his four-year career. The Youngstown, Ohio, native, Floyd played for the Cardinals from 1999-02 and led the Cardinals to four-consecutive bowl appearances. He holds the school record and is currently tied for the Conference USA mark with 18 interceptions. A two-time Conference USA first-team defensive back (2000-01), Floyd assisted the Cardinals in winning a pair of Conference USA championships in 2000 and 2001. He tied for the national lead in interceptions with 10 and 17 pass break-ups – the second-most in school history. He set a league single-game record with three interceptions – returning one for a touchdown – in an upset of No. 11 Southern Mississippi.
29 Ernest Givins- Ernest Givins lettered for the Cardinals in 1984 and 1985, totaling 67 receptions for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns. He caught 33 passes for 689 yards and four scores in 1984 and followed it with 34 receptions for 577 yards and scores. In 1985, Givins was an AP All-America Honorable Mention, AP All South Independent First Team, and was invited to play in the Blue-Gray Football Classic, Hula Bowl, and Senior Bowl.
42 Ernie Green - Ernie Green rushed for more than 1,500 yards in his career as a Louisville Cardinal. He led UofL in rushing during two of his four seasons and was a versatile player out of the backfield catching passes.
50 Tom Jackson - Tom Jackson spent three seasons as a linebacker for the Cardinals leading the team in tackles all three campaigns. He earned All-Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors in 1970 and 1972. He played all three seasons under the watchful eye of the colorful Lee Corso as the Cards posted a 23-7-2 mark in Jackson’s three seasons as an active player.
75 Joe Jacoby - A three-year letter winner as an offensive tackle, Joe Jacoby was a prep All-American in both football and basketball from Louisville Western High School. He helped Nathan Poole become one of just 11 Cardinals to rush for over 1,000 yards with 1,394 yards.
26 Lenny Lyles - A trailblazer in the integration of the Louisville Cardinals football program, Lenny Lyles was an outstanding player on both sides of the football from 1954-57. A four-year starter for the Cardinals, Lyles totaled 2,786 yards on the ground and scored a school-record 42 touchdowns in his storied career including 18 in 1957 to set a single season record which stood for more than 40 years. He is the school’s second all-time scoring leader with 300 points in his storied career. He became the first Cardinal to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in a single season. In 1957, his 1,207 yards not only earned him Little All-America acclaim but led all of college football.
56 Otto Knop - A four-year letterwinner at linebacker and center from 1949-1952, Otto Knop earned honorable mention Associated Press Little All-America honors as a sophomore and United Press International All-America his junior year. He was inducted into the UofL Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 in its second induction class, and was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. His most memorable highlight was a fumble recovery that led to the tying touchdown in a stunning 13-13 deadlock at heavily favored Miami (FL) in 1950.
17 Stefan LeFors - Stefan LeFors starred in his No. 17 jersey for the Cardinals from 2001-2004. He ranks seventh all-time in school history in both career passing yards (5,853) and career touchdown passes (38). The two-time all-Conference USA first-team honoree and left-handed thrower helped Louisville capture the 2004 Conference USA championship with an 11-1 record and a win over No. 10 Boise State in the Liberty Bowl. Leading the nation’s top-ranked offense at 539.0 yards per game, LeFors threw for 2,596 yards and 20 touchdowns, while leading the nation in with a 73.5 percent completion rate and a 181.7 passing efficiency rating. The Baton Rouge, La., native set the school record for completion percentage. In 2003, LeFors threw for 3,145 yards and 17 touchdowns, while adding another 405 yards and three scores on the ground.
13 Sam Madison - Sam Madison was a four-time letterwinner with the Cardinals from 1993-96. One of the top athletes ever to play at UofL, Madison ranks second all-time in school history with 16 career picks and also led UofL with 44 career pass breakups, a record that has stood since 1996... best season was in 1995 when Madison led the Cardinals with seven interceptions and earned third team All-America accolades... was tabbed as one of the top 15 players in the county and was tabbed a preseason Playboy All-American in 1996... was a key performer for the Cardinals as Louisville went 9-3 and defeated Michigan State in the Liberty Bowl.
52 Tyrus McCloud - Tyrus McCloud played for the Cardinals from 1993-96 and led the team in tackles for three-straight seasons – one of only four players to hold that distinction. McCloud was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and team co-captain in 1995 and 1996, while also earning All-American accolades in 1996. Over his outstanding four-year career, McCloud totaled 403 tackles, which ranks seventh all-time in school history McCloud recorded 144 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks to be named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. McCloud was tabbed a second team All-American by Football News and Sporting News and also was a third team honoree by the Associated. In 1995, McCloud was a first-team all-league selection and named to the Football News All-Independent Team and was also selected an honorable mention All-American by the same publication. He led the team in both tackles (126) and tackles for loss (11) and added four sacks and a pair of interceptions. As a sophomore in 1994, McCloud posted a team high 133 tackles and 11 tackles for loss, while also picking up a pair of interceptions and two sacks.
1 Frank Minnifield - A four-time letterwinner with the Cardinals from 1979-82, Frank Minnifield excelled as a defensive back and kick returner. A former walk-on, Minnifield quickly received the scholarship recruiters failed to give him coming out of Lexington’s Henry Clay High. He intercepted seven passes including a career-best three during his sophomore campaign of 1980 and led UofL in kickoff returns in 1981 with a 30.4 yard average.
72 Roman Oben - One of the best offensive linemen in the history of the school, Roman Oben played for the Cardinals from 1992-95 and is one of the most decorated offensive linemen in school history. He was named a first team All-American in 1994 by the Gannett News and was also voted to the Football News and Sporting News All-American squads as a junior. He didn’t allow a sack during the 1994 season.
15 Dave Ragone - Dave Ragone closed his career as the school’s only three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. A three-year starter, he led Louisville to a pair of Conference USA championships and three bowl appearances, while tying the school record for wins by a starter with 27. He is only the third Conference USA player to ever win three offensive player of the year awards, joining former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams and former Houston quarterback Case Keenum. Ragone was one of the most productive signal callers in school history – finishing his career with 8,564 passing yards, fourth most in school history, and passing for 74 touchdowns – placing him second in the school’s record book. The only three-time player of the year honoree in school history, Ragone was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in 2000 after leading the Cardinals to a 9-3 mark and their first conference title since 1972, when he threw for 2,621 yards and 27 touchdowns. The following year, the southpaw enjoyed the best campaign of his career, passing for 3,056 yards and 23 touchdowns. That year, he directed UofL to an 11-2 record that was capped by a 28-10 Liberty Bowl victory over BYU.
7 Chris Redman - Chris Redman closed his career as the NCAA all-time leader in passes attempted and completed and was one of just three Division I-A signalcallers to throw for more than 12,000 yards in a career. The Parade National High School Player of the Year at Male, Redman finished his Cardinal career completing 1,031 of 1,679 passes for 12,541 yards and 84 touchdowns. A first-team All-Conference USA selection and the league’s Offensive Player of the Year in 1999, he also added the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award to his mantle. As a junior, Redman rewrote the UofL and C-USA record books, passing for 4,042 yards and 29 scores despite playing in just 10 regular season games.
1 Howard Stevens - One of the best running backs in the history of the school, Howard Stevens ranks in the top five in school history with 2,723 yards and recorded 25 touchdowns (which places him sixth all-time). He also stands fourth all-time with 509 career rushing attempts and holds the school record for rushing yards in a season with 1,429 yards in 1971. He finished fourth in the nation in rushing, running for 1,259 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1972. He guided the Cardinals to a Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 1972.
99 Ted Washington - One of the dominating defensive players in the history of the school, Ted Washington played for the Cardinals from 1987-90. In his career, Washington recorded 298 tackles and 14 sacks during his career. He earned Honorable Mention All-America and All-Metro Conference accolades in 1988 after recording a career-high 88 tackles. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49’ers as the 25th pick in the first round and went on to enjoy a 17-year career in the NFL.
99 Dewayne White - Dewayne White played for the Cardinals from 2000-02, leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss for two straight seasons. One of the most dominant pass rushers in school history, White, a two-time first team all-C-USA performer, finished his UofL career with 37.5 sacks and 56.5 tackles for loss, both of which still stand as school records. He also holds the school’s single season record for tackles for loss with 23 during the 2001 season. The 2001 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, White earned that distinctive honor after ranking No. 2 nationally and leading C-USA with a then league record 15 sacks and tied for the league lead with a record 23 tackles for loss. In leading the league with 86 tackles among defensive linemen, White was a first team All-C-USA selection and earned second team and third team All-American honors.
50 Otis Wilson - Otis Wilson was a three-time letterman for the Cardinals. A dominating defender and one of the school’s all-time leading tacklers, he finished his career as the school’s second all-time leading tackler with 484 tackles. He was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the 1977 Independence Bowl and was a first team All-American selection in 1979. He registered 152 stops in 1979 and 157 duringthe 1978 campaign.
10 Dwayne Woodruff - A three-time letterman for the Cardinals, Dwayne Woodruff opened his career as a reserve running back and wide receiver from New Richmond, Ohio but was moved to the secondary by then-head coach Vince Gibson following his sophomore campaign. He collected 161 tackles while intercepting three passes and recovering three fumbles. He accounted for 97 total tackles in 1977 as the Cardinals advanced to the Independence Bowl.
