NFF National Scholar-Athletes
Continuing the fabled tradition of great UCLA quarterbacks, John Sciarra enjoyed an All-American career on and off the field. In 2014, he became the 12th Bruin to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First-Team All-American in 1975, Sciarra finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was named Player of the Game after leading the Bruins to an upset over No. 1 ranked, undefeated Ohio State in the 1976 Rose Bowl. A first-team all-conference selection his senior year, Sciarra led UCLA to a 32-10-3 record and the 1975 Pac-10 title. The team captain and two-time team MVP led UCLA in scoring in 1975, and he also led the Bruins in punt return yardage in 1972 and 1973. Sciarra holds the school record for rushing yards gained by a quarterback with 1,813, and he still ranks ninth in career total offense (4,464 yards) and 14th in career passing yards. Excelling off the field and in the classroom, he also earned recognition as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete and a First-Team Academic All-American in 1975.
Taken in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Sciarra opted to sign with the British Columbia Lions in the CFL, earning Rookie of the Year honors. The Los Angeles native went on to play six years for the Philadelphia Eagles, appearing in Super Bowl XV.
Sciarra played with Hall of Famers Randy Cross and Jerry Robinson at UCLA, as well as fellow NFF National Scholar-Athlete Mark Harmon. A member of both the UCLA Athletics and Rose Bowl Halls of Fame, he actively volunteers with numerous organizations, including the Red Cross, the Special Olympics and the United Way. Sciarra currently serves as the president and CEO of National Retirement Services, Inc.
