Iowa Hawkeye football fans walk by a statue of his likeness and into a stadium that bears his name each gameday. Many Iowa fans can tell you they know all about the legend of Nile Kinnick. Sure, they might be able to tell you that he remains Iowa's only Heisman Trophy winner and that he died serving his country. But a new documentary coming out soon will dive even further into Nile Kinnick, the man.

The man behind the documentary is someone you might already be familiar with. Director Scott Siepker is the man responsible for those 'Iowa Nice' videos from several years ago. In an interview with WHO-TV, Siepker said after videos about 'Iowa Nice' and 'Iowa State Nice' landed on ESPN, he came up with the idea of doing a documentary on both Nile Kinnick and Jack Trice. But after the project became too large, Siepker and his team decided to focus first on Hawkeye legend Nile Kinnick.

Siepker told WHO that the film will have plenty of footage and information on Kinnick's playing days at Iowa, but that the final third of the movie will deal with his time serving during World War 2. Siepker pointed out that after winning the Heisman Trophy, Kinnick was one of the most famous people in the entire nation. It made his service and sacrifice all that more impressive.

Kinnick: The Documentary will debut on Vimeo on August 24th. I hope all Iowans watch and learn about why Nile Kinnick is so revered in our state.

 

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LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

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