Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson stood center stage amongst the best HBCU football players in the nation.
In Saturday’s HBCU Legacy Bowl, Richardson earned the Offensive Most Valuable Player honor for leading Team Robinson to a 17-14 victory over Team Gaither.
Richardson completed nine of 12 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in New Orleans’ Yulman Stadium on Tulane University’s campus.
“Just a blessing to be here and get this opportunity,” Richardson told the NFL Network after being awarded the MVP trophy. “Put on for your city, your family, and your school. And that’s what I did today.”
In the game’s four-year history, Richardson is the third Rattler to win an HBCU Legacy Bowl MVP award.
He joins former FAMU defensive back Antwan Collier, who won the first-ever defensive MVP in 2022, and former Rattlers wide receiver Xavier Smith, who won the offensive award in 2023. Smith just completed his second season in the National Football League with the Los Angeles Rams.
Richardson and his FAMU teammates Jamari Gassett (wide receiver), Jeremiah Pruitte (tight end), Jalen Goss (offensive lineman), and Kendall Bohler (defensive back) spent the week in New Orleans for the HBCU NFL Combine and the Legacy Bowl.
Richardson, from Miami, played his final college football season for the Rattlers after previous stops at Central Michigan and Florida Atlantic.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound quarterback finished the 2024 season completing 231 of 330 (70 percent) passes for 2,662 yards and scored 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions. The Southwestern Athletic Conference named Richardson its Newcomer of the Year and selected him to the postseason first team.
Additionally, Richardson won the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Most Valuable Player and was a Walter Payton Award Finalist and HBCU All-American Honorable Mention after his 2024 season.
For his career, including Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic, and FAMU, Richardson recorded stats of 874 for 1,385 completions (63 percent), 10,054 passing yards, 79 passing touchdowns, and 31 interceptions.
While at Central Michigan, Richardson quarterbacked the Chippewas to a 24-21 Sun Bowl victory over Washington State in 2021. He completed 18 of 34 passes for 209 yards, scored a touchdown, and had an interception.
Richardson, 24, graduated from FAMU with his Master of Business Administration last December. He will return to FAMU’s campus for the Rattlers’ Pro Day on Thursday, March 20, at 2 p.m.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU QB Daniel Richardson wins HBCU Legacy Bowl MVP; 3rd Rattler to do so
