Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is the featured guest on this week’s Official Heisman Trophy Podcast. Listen to the full conversation here. Episodes and clips of The Official Heisman Trophy Podcast are available on all major podcast networks, including Spotify and Apple, as well on YouTube and TikTok.
When Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King talks about his team’s 7–0 start—the program’s best since 1966—he doesn’t sound surprised. He sounds determined.
“It’s full of excitement,” he said of the Yellow Jackets’ unbeaten run, “but we know we haven’t really played a complete game yet. We’re still out there trying to find ways to play a full four quarters—offense, defense, and special teams.”
That kind of grounded intensity has defined King’s career. After years of adversity—injuries, transfers, and the mental grind of constant reinvention—he’s finally leading a team that mirrors his own mindset: confident but never complacent. Georgia Tech’s success this year isn’t just a product of talent. It’s the result of what King calls willing themselves to win.
“You’re going to go through adversity,” he said. “But how do you respond? How do you overcome it as a team and stay together?”
King credits the Yellow Jackets’ veteran leadership and internal belief as the biggest difference this season.
“We’ve got a mature team,” he said. “Guys who’ve been through stuff and seen it done the right way. The belief and trust within each other never wavers. We just keep fighting.”
That fighter’s mentality was forged years ago in Longview, Texas, where King led his high school to a state championship and became an Under Armour All-American. His path from there was less straightforward. After three seasons at Texas A&M marked by injuries and inconsistency, he entered the transfer portal facing doubts from many top programs.
“Not a lot of Power Four teams wanted me,” he recalled. “I guess I was labeled as broken or a bust. But I believed in this staff—Coach Key, Coach Buster, and Coach Weinke—and this is where I wanted to be. These are the people I wanted to be around.”
Under quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke, the 2000 Heisman Trophy winner, King has evolved from a talented but erratic passer into one of the ACC’s most complete quarterbacks. He credits Weinke’s clarity and attention to detail with helping him elevate his game.
“Coach Weinke has lessons for days,” King said with a grin. “The way he coaches is one of the main reasons my game has progressed like it has. He makes everything black and white. There’s always a reason behind what he teaches.”
That development has translated to the field. King has dramatically cut down on turnovers, learned to take what defenses give him, and added another dimension to Tech’s offense with his legs.
“My first year here, I probably turned the ball over a lot,” he admitted. “Last season I only had two picks. I’ve learned to operate at a high level, take care of the ball, and give the team the best chance possible.”
It’s that blend of intelligence, toughness, and humility that’s made King a fan favorite in Atlanta—and earned him recognition nationally. USA Today recently called him the toughest player in college football, a title he accepts with quiet pride.
“It’s really my family, teammates, and God who keep me going,” he said. “You want to make your family proud and give your all every game. My teammates know I’ll fight as hard as I can for the guy next to me, and I know they’ll do the same.”
Off the field, King has channeled his journey into something bigger than football. Last year, he and his family worked with author Andy McLean to publish a children’s book titled “Haynes King: Hell of a Quarterback,” which encourages young readers to chase their dreams.
“It was different, but a great way to give back and encourage kids to read,” King said. “Andy met my mom at a game, and it just kind of came together.”
King earned a degree in business management from Texas A&M in 2022 and is now pursuing a major in History, Technology, and Society at Georgia Tech. Through the school’s Grad X program, he’s blending his studies with real-world internships.
“The connections you can make at Georgia Tech are genuine—40-year connections,” he said. “It’s not just about football.”
Now in his sixth year of college football, King laughs about his age compared to some of his teammates.
“I tried to catch Coach Weinke in age, but I couldn’t quite do it,” he joked. “But you definitely gain an advantage being older. You’ve been there, done it. You’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Those are lessons you learn from and overcome.”
When his playing career eventually ends, King already knows where he’ll go next.
“I’ve been around the game my whole life—my dad still coaches,” he said. “When the time comes, I’ll probably end up coaching too. It’s what I love.”
For now, though, King is focused on keeping Georgia Tech’s storybook season alive. And while he talks about belief and brotherhood, there’s something more at play—a sense of unfinished business, the kind that drives great players toward greatness.
“We believe this team can do things like this,” he said. “We’ve been through the adversity. We’ve built the trust. Now, we just keep fighting.”
