The Official 2026 Public Vote

Your Vote Shapes the Hall

Explore the official candidates and cast your votes for the individuals you believe deserve a place in the United States Athletics Hall of Fame.

Knute Rockne

  • Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Coaches 2026
  • Embed from Getty Images
  • Sport(s): Football
  • Statistics & Accolades: 3 NCAA National Championships (1924, 1929 & 1930)
    105-12-5 NCAA Record
    1-0 Bowl Record
    Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
  • In 1913 while playing for Notre Dame, he was the recipient of forward passes by Charlie Dorais. The Fighting Irish thumped Army, and while this was not the first time that passes occurred in football, it was the first that gained national attention. Rockne never forgot this, and seven years later, when he became Notre Dame’s head coach, he was the first to use it as a regular part of the offense.

    A master motivator, Rockne took Notre Dame to three National Championships. Arguably the first college coach who had celebrity status, Rockne used that in his recruiting and promotion of his team with the media. Rockne's teams only lost 12 games against 105 wins, a won/loss record that is the envy of any coach.

    Rockne died tragically in 1931 in a plane crash at the age of 43. President Herbert Hoover called his passing a "national loss," and a movie about his life, "Knute Rockne, All American," was released in 1940.

    We are proud to nominate Knute Rockne for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.
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