Darnell Autry

Harrington Darnell Autry (born June 19, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats. In his sophomore season, he helped lead the 1995 Northwestern Wildcats to the Big Ten Conference championship and the 1996 Rose Bowl. Autry finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting for 1995 and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated after a Northwestern victory over Penn State. Autry finished seventh in the 1996 Heisman Trophy balloting.

In his junior season, he led Northwestern to another share of the Big Ten championship. After the season, Autry sued the NCAA to be allowed to act in a movie since he was a theater major and he did not want to lose NCAA eligibility. The NCAA initially rejected his claims but eventually relented. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he played for one season, and also played one season for the Philadelphia Eagles.