Patrick Reusse Turkey of the Year past winners, from 1978 to 2022

This year's Turkey of the Year will be announced at midnight. Here's a history of turkeys from Patrick Reusse in the Star Tribune.

November 22, 2023 at 5:32PM
Herschel Walker is known as the 2022 turkey winner, among other things. (Brynn Anderson, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here are the 45 Turkey of the Year "winners" who preceded this year's "winner." The Turkey was thought to have been retired in 2017. The Authentic Turkey, a one-year wonder, made an appearance the next year before The Turkey Chairman again sought to retire the honor in 2019. But the pandemic arrived in 2020 and with it came a call for the Turkey's return. That year's winner took a prize known as the Turkey Revived Under Mandate by Public, or TRUMP Award. History will remember them all as Turkeys, however, by any name:

In the Star Tribune (35 years of "winners")

In the Pioneer Press (10 "winners")

1987: Carl Pohlad, Twins

1986: Dr. Kenneth Keller, U of M president

1985: Lou Holtz, Gophers

1984: Les Steckel, Vikings

1983: Paul Giel, Gophers

1982: Billy Martin, A's/Yankees

1981: George Steinbrenner, Yankees

1980: Bobby Knight, Indiana

1979: NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle; MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn

1978: Woody Hayes, Ohio State

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