Don McPherson
Committee Chairman
Don McPherson is one of college football's most accomplished quarterbacks and a respected leader in the sport. A consensus All-American at Syracuse University, he led the undefeated 1987 Orange team while earning the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, and the inaugural Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He finished second in the 1987 Heisman Trophy voting, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, and had his No. 9 jersey retired by Syracuse in 2013.
Follwing a professional career in the NFL and Canadian Football League, McPherson became a prominent college football analyst for ESPN, and SportsNet New York. He also played an instrumental role in helping bring the John Mackey Award to life. As Chairman of the John Makcey Award Committee, Mcpherson brings decades of experience, leadership, and lifelong commitment to honoring excellence in college football.
Jake Butt
College: Michigan
2016 John Mackey Award recipient and Consenus All-American.
Two-time Big 10 TE of the Year
Former Denver Broncos TE
Current Big 10 Network football Analyst
Brian Mitchell
College: University of Southwestern Louisiana
Washington Commanders Super Bowl XXVI Champion (one of the greatest return specialists in NFL history).
First player in NCAA history with 5,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing.
Radio Host with NBC Sports Washington
College: Penn State
All Big East (1981) & team captain
Played for the Philadelphia Eagles
Business Executive and advocate for student athlete development
Greg Jones
Jake Marsh
College: Syracuse
National college football broadcaster with play-by-play experience across multiple platforms (Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl and nationally televised college football broadcasts)
Seen on CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Barstool Sports
Syracuse University (Newhouse School) graduate whose career has been built around telling the stories of college athletics
Noah Eagle
College: Syracuse
Lead play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports' Big Ten Saturday Night Football
Has called college football and NFL games for over a decade
Seen on NBC Sports, CBS Sports, & FOX Sports
One of the fastest rising play-by-play voices in football
Nick O'leary
College: Florida State
2014 John Mackey Award Winner
and Consensus All-American
2014 BCS National Champion
Five Year NFL Veteran
Dallas Clark
College: Iowa
2002 John Mackey Award Winner and Unanimous First Team All-American
Colts' Super Bowl XLI Champion
Three time Pro Bowl selection
College: Notre Dame
Super Bowl Champion XXXI (Green Bay)
Lombardi Award (1993)
Consensus 1st-team All-American (1992 - 1993)
CBS Sports College Football Analyst
Aaron Taylor
Jarvis Johnson
College: Rutgers
NFL DB with the Baltimore Ravens
Mentor in sports, investor relations, start-up investment and partner relationships
Worked with the NFLPA and NFL Alumni Association to educate and help athletes
The Committee
The John Mackey Award Selection Committee is entrusted with a responsibility that extends beyond evaluating statistics. Comprised of accomplished former players, coaches, and respected members of the sports media, the committee brings decades of football knowledge and perspective to the selection process.
The committee's charge is to identify the nation's premier collegiate tight end—an athlete whose impact transcends the box score. While on-field excellence remains the foundation of the award, members also evaluate the qualities that cannot be measured: leadership, character, competitiveness, football intelligence, and the ability to elevate teammates.
Ultimately, the John Mackey Award honors the player who possesses the "it factor"—the rare combination of talent, integrity, and presence that inspires confidence in their future success, both on the field and in every aspect of life.