FSU Retro Look Back: Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds attended Florida State University on a college football scholarship, becoming an all-star Southern Conference halfback. After a knee injury in 1955 and then a debilitating car accident, Reynolds switched from athletics to college drama and won the 1956 Florida State Drama Award.

His college roomate was future ESPN football analyst and football coach, Lee Corso. While at Florida State, Reynolds joined the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, the football team's fraternity of choice. After a knee injury in 1955 and then a debilitating car accident, Reynolds came home to Riviera Beach to recuperate. In order to keep up with his studies he began taking classes at Palm Beach Junior College (now known as Palm Beach Community College) in neighboring Lake Park. When he returned to Florida State, he switched from athletics to college drama and won the 1956 Florida State Drama Award. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts National Football League team, but he never played professional football.

Reynold's greatest contribution to FSU has been in terms of not only financial contributions but also being an ambassador for the FSU football program.He does a weekly taped appearance with Gene Deckerhoff on the Bobby Bowden Football Show during football season. He was inducted into the FSU Football Hall of Fame in 1977.