Aeneas Williams
Encyclopedia
Aeneas Demetrius Williams (əˈniːəs; born January 29, 1968 in New Orleans, Louisiana
) is a former American football
cornerback
and free safety, who played with the Arizona Cardinals
and the St. Louis Rams
. Williams attended Fortier High School, where he played football on a team with three future NFL
players. Although he was admitted to Dartmouth College
, Williams chose to attend Southern University
, the same school his brother Achilles attended. At Southern, Williams concentrated on his academics, not playing football until his senior year, as a graduate student. That year, he tied the NCAA Division I-AA record for most interceptions.
in 1991, Williams quickly established himself with an exceptional rookie season, tying the NFL lead for interceptions. As of 1997, Williams had four Pro Bowl
appearances and routinely covered the opposing team's lead receivers. In the 1998 season, Williams helped the Cardinals win their first playoff game since 1947 by intercepting two passes from Troy Aikman
in a 20-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys
, and added another inteception in the Cardinals 41-21 loss in the divisional round. Despite playing mostly for bad teams (1998 was the only time during his 10 years with the Cardinals that he played with a winning team), Williams was recognized as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, making six Pro Bowls in all as a Cardinal. He is regarded as one of the best defenders and players in Cardinals history, as well as one of the greatest shutdown corners of all time. In 2000, he tied an NFL record by returning a fumble (caused by Mark Maddox
) 104 yards for a touchdown in a game against the Washington Redskins
.
In 2001 he was traded to the St. Louis Rams
on draft day in exchange for picks in the second and fourth rounds. Due to roster concerns, Williams switched to free safety. In the Rams divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers
prior to the Super Bowl, Williams returned two interceptions from Packers quarterback Brett Favre
for touchdowns and recovered a fumble. Then in the NFC title game, he intercepted a pass from Philadelphia Eagles
quarterback, Donovan McNabb
, with 2 minutes left in regulation, clinching the game and ensuring the Rams trip to the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXXVI
, however, the Rams lost to the New England Patriots.
After a lackluster season, in which he ended on the injured reserve
list, Williams quietly retired during the 2005 offseason. Over his career he accumulated a staggering 12 defensive touchdowns (9 interceptions returned for a touchdown, and 3 fumbles recovered for touchdowns), and 55 career interceptions, cementing his place as one of the most dominating defensive backs of his era. He also recovered 23 fumbles and gained 1,075 total defensive return yards (807 from interceptions and 268 from fumbles). He was also a 4-time All-Pro
selection. His 268 fumble return yards are an NFL record.
Williams is notable for being the player who delivered the tackle which ultimately ended Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers
' quarterback Steve Young's career. Williams came in on a cornerback blitz from Young's blindside and scored a hard, but clean, hit on Young. Running back
Lawrence Phillips
was supposed to block Williams, but missed. This occurred on national television, a Monday Night Football
game, and left Young unconscious on the field for several minutes. Young suffered a severe concussion that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, after which he retired.
On January 18, 2009, Williams was chosen to present the George Halas Trophy to the Arizona Cardinals after their victory in the NFC Championship game, resulting in the Cardinals first trip to the Super Bowl.
Williams is currently the founding pastor of Spirit of the Lord Family Church in St. Louis.
Williams made his final appearance in a football videogame in NFL Street 2
. Williams and his wife, Tracy, have daughters Saenea ( Aeneas spelled backward ), 11; Tirzah, 9; Cheyenne, 3 and a son : Lazarus, 6.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
and free safety, who played with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Williams attended Fortier High School, where he played football on a team with three future NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
players. Although he was admitted to Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Williams chose to attend Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
, the same school his brother Achilles attended. At Southern, Williams concentrated on his academics, not playing football until his senior year, as a graduate student. That year, he tied the NCAA Division I-AA record for most interceptions.
Professional career
Drafted by the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1991, Williams quickly established himself with an exceptional rookie season, tying the NFL lead for interceptions. As of 1997, Williams had four Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
appearances and routinely covered the opposing team's lead receivers. In the 1998 season, Williams helped the Cardinals win their first playoff game since 1947 by intercepting two passes from Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
in a 20-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, and added another inteception in the Cardinals 41-21 loss in the divisional round. Despite playing mostly for bad teams (1998 was the only time during his 10 years with the Cardinals that he played with a winning team), Williams was recognized as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, making six Pro Bowls in all as a Cardinal. He is regarded as one of the best defenders and players in Cardinals history, as well as one of the greatest shutdown corners of all time. In 2000, he tied an NFL record by returning a fumble (caused by Mark Maddox
Mark Maddox
Mark Anthony Maddox is a former professional American football linebacker for ten seasons in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at Northern Michigan University....
) 104 yards for a touchdown in a game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
.
In 2001 he was traded to the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on draft day in exchange for picks in the second and fourth rounds. Due to roster concerns, Williams switched to free safety. In the Rams divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
prior to the Super Bowl, Williams returned two interceptions from Packers quarterback Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
for touchdowns and recovered a fumble. Then in the NFC title game, he intercepted a pass from Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback, Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
, with 2 minutes left in regulation, clinching the game and ensuring the Rams trip to the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots won their first Super...
, however, the Rams lost to the New England Patriots.
After a lackluster season, in which he ended on the injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
list, Williams quietly retired during the 2005 offseason. Over his career he accumulated a staggering 12 defensive touchdowns (9 interceptions returned for a touchdown, and 3 fumbles recovered for touchdowns), and 55 career interceptions, cementing his place as one of the most dominating defensive backs of his era. He also recovered 23 fumbles and gained 1,075 total defensive return yards (807 from interceptions and 268 from fumbles). He was also a 4-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
selection. His 268 fumble return yards are an NFL record.
Williams is notable for being the player who delivered the tackle which ultimately ended Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
' quarterback Steve Young's career. Williams came in on a cornerback blitz from Young's blindside and scored a hard, but clean, hit on Young. Running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Phillips
Lawrence Lamond Phillips is a former professional American football and Canadian football running back. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust....
was supposed to block Williams, but missed. This occurred on national television, a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game, and left Young unconscious on the field for several minutes. Young suffered a severe concussion that sidelined him for the remainder of the season, after which he retired.
Post-NFL Career
He was inducted into the Arizona Cardinals' Ring of Honor during the 2008-2009 football season during halftime of the Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers November 10, 2008.On January 18, 2009, Williams was chosen to present the George Halas Trophy to the Arizona Cardinals after their victory in the NFC Championship game, resulting in the Cardinals first trip to the Super Bowl.
Williams is currently the founding pastor of Spirit of the Lord Family Church in St. Louis.
Williams made his final appearance in a football videogame in NFL Street 2
NFL Street 2
NFL Street 2 is American football video game developed by EA Tiburon and published by Electronic Arts. It was originally released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube on December 22, 2004...
. Williams and his wife, Tracy, have daughters Saenea ( Aeneas spelled backward ), 11; Tirzah, 9; Cheyenne, 3 and a son : Lazarus, 6.