- Drew Brees
Andrew Christopher Brees (born January 15, 1979 in Austin, Texas) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. The San Diego Chargers originally selected him as the first pick of the 2001 NFL Draft's second round.
- Bob Griese
Robert Allen Griese (born February 3, 1945 in Evansville, Indiana) is a former American football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins. Griese's talents eventually resulted in his induction to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He is a television commentator for college football on ABC-TV.
- Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott (born December 21, 1973, Joliet, Illinois) is an American football player who plays fullback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Rosevelt Colvin
Rosevelt Colvin, III (born September 5, 1977 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Colvin attended Broad Ripple High School (same high school attended by David Letterman) in Indianapolis. As a senior, in football, he was a first-team All-State pick, an All Marion County Player, …
- Matt Light
Matthew Charles Light (born June 23, 1978 in Greenville, Ohio) is an American football offensive lineman for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was selected with the 48th pick overall in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Purdue University. Arguably his most impressive game came in Super Bowl XXXIX, when he held heralded defensive end Jevon Kearse to just two tackles.
- Ray Edwards
Ray Edwards (born January 1, 1985 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American football player for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for Purdue University and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Vikings.
- Alex Agase
Alexander Arrasi Agase (March 27, 1922 - May 3, 2007) is a former American football player and coach. Agase was born in Evanston IL to an Assyrian family. He graduated from Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Illinois. Agase played college football at the University of Illinois and Purdue University. Agase starred as a guard for Illinois in 1941 and 1942. In a 1942 game against the University of Minnesota, Agase scored two touchdowns for the Fighting Illini, …
- Hank Stram
Hank Stram, was an American Football coach. He is best known for his 14-year tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Stram won three AFL Championships (more than any other coach in the league's history) and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs. He also coached for the most victories (87), most post-season appearances (6) and the best post-season record in the AFL (5-1).
- Rod Woodson
Roderick Kevin "Rod" Woodson (born March 10, 1965 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is a former professional American football player.
- Kyle Orton
Kyle Raymond Orton (born November 14, 1982 in Altoona, Iowa) is an American football player and a quarterback in the National Football League. He was selected by the Chicago Bears as the 106th pick of the 2005 NFL Draft.
- John McKay
John Harvey McKay (July 5, 1923 - June 10, 2001) was an American football coach. He was the head coach of the USC Trojans from 1960 to 1975, and of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1976 to 1984. McKay was born in the now-defunct town of Everettsville, West Virginia. After graduating from high school he worked in the coal mines for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. He finally entered college at the age of 23, …
- Bernard Pollard
Bernard Karmell Pollard (born December 23, 1984) is an American football safety for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Pollard played college football at Purdue University. Pollard has been dubbed "The Bonecrusher" for his hard hits and tackles.
- Darryl Stingley
Darryl Floyd Stingley (September 18 1951 - April 5 2007) was an American professional football wide receiver whose career was cut short by injury. He had a five-year career from 1973 to 1977. He played his entire career with the New England Patriots of the National Football League.
- Len Dawson
Leonard Ray Dawson (also known as Len Dawson) (born June 20, 1935 in Alliance, Ohio) is a former American football quarterback from Purdue University who played for three professional teams, most notably the Kansas City Chiefs. Dawson led the Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV and won the game's MVP award. He is currently a sports broadcaster for KMBC in Kansas City, Missouri.
- Dutch Fehring
William Paul "Dutch" Fehring (May 31, 1912-April 13, 2006) was a college baseball and football coach.
- Joe Odom
Joe Edward Odom (born December 14, 1979 in Alton, Illinois) is an American football linebacker. He was selected with the 18th pick of the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draftby the Chicago Bears out of Purdue University. On August 23, 2006, Odom was claimed off of waivers by the Buffalo Bills. He was released on September 2, 2006.
- Mark Herrmann
Mark Donald Herrmann (born January 8, 1959 in Cincinnati, Ohio) was an American football player and a quarterback in the National Football League. He is currently Associate Director of Educational Programs for the NCAA. However, he is best known for his college career with the Purdue Boilermakers. Herrmann grew up in Carmel, Indiana where he played for Carmel High School. He also played on Carmel's state championship basketball team in 1977.
- Shaun Phillips
Shaun Phillips (born March 13, 1981 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), is an American football linebacker for the San Diego Chargers. He grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey. Phillips currently wears jersey #95 for the Chargers.
- Steve Jackson
Steve Jackson was a former American football player for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1991-1999. He was selected by Houston in the 3rd round (71st overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft. Jackson currently serves as Passing Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach for the Washington Redskins.
- Kory Sheets
Kory Gerren Sheets (born March 31, 1985) is the starting running back for the Purdue University Boilermakers college football team as a junior.
- Mark Jackson
Mark Anthony Jackson (born July 23, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois), is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 5'9", 174-lb. wide receiver from Purdue University, Jackson played in 9 NFL seasons from 1986 to 1994 for the Broncos, New York Giants, and Indianapolis Colts.
- Abe Gibron
Abe Gibron (September 22, 1925- September 23, 1997) was a former American football offensive lineman and coach whose ample girth was arguably his most recognizable feature. During his playing career, he weighed 250 pounds (on a 5-11 frame), but as a coach, ballooned to over 300 pounds. Former teammate Lou Groza said about Gibron's enormous appetite, "Every time you went to dinner, it was a banquet." Gibron played college football at Purdue University, …
- Lamar Lundy
Lamar J. Lundy, Jr. (April 17 1935 - February 24 2007) was an American defensive end with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for 13 seasons, from 1957 to 1969. Along with Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, and Rosey Grier, Lundy was a member of the Fearsome Foursome, often considered one of the best defensive lines in NFL history.
- Bobby Iwuchukwu
Robert Chukuma Iwuchukwu (born August 1, 1983 in Arlington, Texas) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the New Orleans Saints in 2006. He played collegiately at Purdue.
- Jim Everett
James Samuel "Jim" Everett III (born January 3, 1963 in Emporia, Kansas) is a former professional American football quarterback in the NFL. Everett attended Purdue University and was selected in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He was selected as the third pick in the first round by the Houston Oilers, and was the first quarterback taken that year. Unable to work out a contract agreement with Everett, the Oilers traded his rights to the Los Angeles Rams, …
- Ed Flanagan
Edward Joseph Flanagan (born 1944) is a former American Football center who played for the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Chargers in a twelve year career that lasted from 1965 to 1976 in the National Football League. Flanagan played college football at Purdue University and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Lions. He was selected to four Pro Bowls.
- Gene Mruczkowski
Gene Mruczkowski (born June 6, 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American football offensive lineman for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.
- Jim Schwantz
Jim Schwantz was an American football player who played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. He went to the Pro Bowl after the 1996 season as a special teams player.
- Rob Ninkovich
Rob Ninkovich (born February 1, 1984) is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints.
- Mel Gray
Melvin Junius Gray (born March 16, 1961 in Williamsburg, Virginia) is a former NFL kick returner. He played with the New Orleans Saints, the Detroit Lions, Houston Oilers, and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1984, Gray played for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League where he was introduced to coach Russ A. Molzahn. Mel attended Purdue University where he starred as a running back.
- Dick Barwegan
Richard J. Barwegan (born December 25, 1921) was a offensive lineman in the NFL.
- Travis Dorsch
Travis Dorsch (born September 4, 1979) is a former American football placekicker and punter. He attended Purdue University, and set many school records while playing for the Boilermakers. His only NFL action came with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002, punting five times before being released. He is best known for costing Purdue the Outback Bowl against Georgia during Drew Brees' junior season.
- Elmer Oliphant
Elmer Quillen Oliphant, nicknamed Catchie or Catchy, Olie or Ollie (born July 9, 1892 in Bloomfield, IN - died July 3, 1975 in New Canaan, Connecticut) was an American football player.
- Leo Sugar
Leo Tateusz Sugar (born April 6, 1929) was a defensive lineman in the NFL. He went to two Pro Bowl during his 9-year career.
- Cecil Isbell
Cecil Isbell (July 11, 1915 - June 23, 1985) was a professional football player for the Green Bay Packers. He attended Purdue University. He was best known for passing to Don Hutson when Hutson was at his peak. He led the Packers to a NFL championship in 1939.
- Anthony Spencer
Anthony Spencer (born January 23, 1984 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. He attended Purdue University.
- John Charles
John Charles (born May 9, 1944) is a former American football cornerback and safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League. Previously he played college football in Purdue University, where he was an All-American in 1966.
- Keena Turner
Keena Turner (born October 22, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois), was a former American professional football player who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2nd round of the 1980 NFL Draft. A 6'2" linebacker from Purdue University, Turner played in 11 NFL seasons and spent his entire career with the 49ers from 1980-1990. A 1984 Pro Bowl selection, he retired from the 49ers with four Super Bowl rings. Turner is currently a television co-host for 49er preseason games.
- Tom Bettis
Tom Bettis (born March 17, 1933 in Chicago) was a professional football player and coach. After starring at Purdue, Bettis was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft. He played nine seasons as a linebacker for the Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears. Bettis served as interim coach of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1977 after the firing of Paul Wiggin. In seven games as Head Coach, Bettis complied a 1-6 record.
- Erich Barnes
Erich Theodore Barnes was a defensive back in the NFL. He was a 6 time Pro Bowler. Before the NFL he was an outstanding all around athlete at Purdue University (1956 - 58). Barnes was drafted 4th by the Bears in 1958 and traded to the Giants in 1961. He tied an NFL record in his first season with the Giants by intercepting a pass against the Cowboys and returnig it 102 yards for a touchdown.