On the day when it appears that, for the time being at least, that Sports Illustrated is going to cease operations, it is fitting to remember when a Rutgers legend made the cover.
The iconic magazine appears to perhaps be no more, given the news on Friday that much (if not all) the newsroom had been let go.
Eric LeGrand is the last Rutgers football player to make the cover of the magazine. His return to the field and High Point Solutions Stadium (now SHI Stadium) was the cover for the ‘Best Moments of 2011’ issue.
LeGrand led the team out on the field for their game against West Virginia.
The year prior to making the cover, LeGrand suffered a spinal cord injury in a game against Army at MetLife Stadium.
The cover shot was nearly a year after the injury.
this was an easy one for me… @EricLeGrand52 pic.twitter.com/wSY4ilKZEb
— Jason Baum (@JasonBaumPR) January 19, 2024
Jason Baum, who posted the cover moment on Friday via X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter), was the sports information for Rutgers at the time. He is now the chief communications officer for Tennessee athletics.
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LeGrand, however, was not the last Rutgers alum to make the cover of Sports Illustrated. In 2019, United States women’s national team midfielder Carli Lloyd, a former Rutgers standout, appeared on the cover following the winning of the World Cup.
Lloud was the captain of the team and enjoyed a stellar tournament.