Hall of Fame
Position: Defensive Back
Years: 1996-1998
Place of Birth: Fort Campbell, KY
Date of Birth: June 22, 1978
Jersey Number: 4
Height: 6-1
Weight: 186
High School: Charlton County HS (Folkston, GA)
One of the most versatile players in Georgia history, Champ Bailey played more than 1,000 snaps on offense, defense and special teams during his remarkable 1998 season. The Folkston, Georgia, native becomes the 16th Bulldog player to join the College Football Hall of Fame.
The 1998 consensus First Team All-American took home the Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player that season while finishing seventh for the Heisman Trophy. During that standout season, Bailey was a team captain and saw action at defensive back and wide receiver while also returning kickoffs. He was named the SEC Player of the Week against Auburn that season after a performance that included a career-high 119 plays highlighted by a fourth-quarter interception.
A two-time First Team All-SEC selection (1997, 1998), he was also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 1996. The inaugural recipient of the UGA Vince Dooley MVP Award, Bailey led the Bulldogs to consecutive postseason wins at the 1998 Outback Bowl and the 1998 Peach Bowl, where he won Defensive MVP honors. He helped UGA to national rankings in 1997 (No. 10) and 1998 (No. 14) while playing for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Jim Donnan and alongside Hall of Famer Matt Stinchcomb. A member of the FWAA's 75th Anniversary All-America Team, Bailey finished his career at Georgia with 147 tackles, eight interceptions and 27 pass breakups while racking up 978 receiving yards and five touchdowns on offense.
The seventh overall pick by Washington in the 1999 NFL Draft, Bailey played 15 seasons for Washington (1999-2003) and the Denver Broncos (2004-13). The 12-time Pro Bowl selection is a member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
While with the Broncos, Bailey donated time and money to the Denver Rescue Mission, and he worked with The Crossing in Park Hill, a transitional housing program in Denver. He also supports the Bailey Brothers Foundation with his brother and fellow Georgia football alum, Boss. The 2018 State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame inductee was also a record-setting track and field athlete at UGA.