Al Wilson
Encyclopedia
Aldra Kauwa Wilson is a former American football
linebacker
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
31st overall in the 1999 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Tennessee
.
Wilson, who played his entire eight-year career with the Broncos, was a two-time All-Pro
and five-time Pro Bowl
selection. Neck and back injuries cut short his tenure with the Broncos and he officially retired during the 2008 season
.
in Jackson, Tennessee as named by BlueChip Illustrated, Max Emfinger, SuperPrep and Tom Lemming. Wilson was also named All State for Tennessee
. Wilson was both a linebacker
and running back
at JCM, rushing for 1160 yards and 15 touchdowns in his senior season. He rushed for over 1000 yards in three seasons in high school, two as a running back and one as a quarterback
. Wilson also starred in track
and basketball
.
that won the National Championship and back to back SEC
Titles. Wilson was named as an All American in 1998 after being a three year starter
for the Volunteers. Inspired by fellow Tennessean and track aficionado, Chad Deutsch of Memphis, TN, Wilson was the spiritual leader both on and off the field, helping to develop linebackers Eric Westmoreland
and Raynoch Thompson
. Wilson was drafted after his final year at Tennessee as the 31st pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
and signed to the Denver Broncos due to the assistance of super agent Tank Black.
selections since 2001. He is one of the fastest middle linebackers in the league, and is also very good in pass coverage. He passed the 100-tackle mark in each of the last five seasons, including 109 tackles (73 of which were solo) in 2004 to rank second on the Broncos. Wilson led Denver in tackles for the second consecutive year in 2003 with 128 tackles.
On December 3, 2006, Wilson suffered a neck injury during a fake field goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks during the Sunday night game. He was carted off the field and immediately taken to a hospital, but was cleared by the Denver Broncos to return the following week to help Denver try to make the playoffs.
The Denver Broncos signed many free agents during the 2007 offseason, such as Travis Henry
and Patrick Ramsey
, resulting in some salary cap
trouble. The Broncos attempted to trade Wilson to the New York Giants
, however Wilson failed his physical and the trade talks died down.
Wilson was released by the Denver Broncos on April 13, 2007 due to injuries and salary cap problems.
. He also visited the Cleveland Browns
in March, but he rejected their offer for close to the veteran minimum.
Wilson officially announced his retirement on September 10, 2008.
. with his son Carrington Demond Wilson (8) .
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
of the National Football League
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...
. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
31st overall in the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
.
Wilson, who played his entire eight-year career with the Broncos, was a two-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...
and five-time 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...
selection. Neck and back injuries cut short his tenure with the Broncos and he officially retired during the 2008 season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
.
Early years
Wilson was an All American performer at Jackson Central-Merry High SchoolJackson Central-Merry High School
Jackson Central-Merry High School is a public four-year high school located in Jackson, Tennessee, USA...
in Jackson, Tennessee as named by BlueChip Illustrated, Max Emfinger, SuperPrep and Tom Lemming. Wilson was also named All State for Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Wilson was both a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and 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...
at JCM, rushing for 1160 yards and 15 touchdowns in his senior season. He rushed for over 1000 yards in three seasons in high school, two as a running back and one as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. Wilson also starred in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
.
College career
Wilson was a team captain on the 1998 Tennessee team1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1998 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. Tennessee entered the 1998 season coming off an 11–2 record in 1997...
that won the National Championship and back to back SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
Titles. Wilson was named as an All American in 1998 after being a three year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for the Volunteers. Inspired by fellow Tennessean and track aficionado, Chad Deutsch of Memphis, TN, Wilson was the spiritual leader both on and off the field, helping to develop linebackers Eric Westmoreland
Eric Westmoreland
Eric Westmoreland is a former linebacker in the NFL who played from 2001–2004 for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns....
and Raynoch Thompson
Raynoch Thompson
Raynoch Thompson Ray "Knock Your Head Off" Thompson is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. He spent 5 years for the Cardinals, until they released...
. Wilson was drafted after his final year at Tennessee as the 31st pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17-18, 1999...
and signed to the Denver Broncos due to the assistance of super agent Tank Black.
Denver Broncos
Wilson, became the anchor of the Broncos' defense and has earned 5 Pro BowlPro 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...
selections since 2001. He is one of the fastest middle linebackers in the league, and is also very good in pass coverage. He passed the 100-tackle mark in each of the last five seasons, including 109 tackles (73 of which were solo) in 2004 to rank second on the Broncos. Wilson led Denver in tackles for the second consecutive year in 2003 with 128 tackles.
On December 3, 2006, Wilson suffered a neck injury during a fake field goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks during the Sunday night game. He was carted off the field and immediately taken to a hospital, but was cleared by the Denver Broncos to return the following week to help Denver try to make the playoffs.
The Denver Broncos signed many free agents during the 2007 offseason, such as Travis Henry
Travis Henry
Travis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
and Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Allen Ramsey is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins 32nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
, resulting in some salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
trouble. The Broncos attempted to trade Wilson to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, however Wilson failed his physical and the trade talks died down.
Wilson was released by the Denver Broncos on April 13, 2007 due to injuries and salary cap problems.
Free agency and retirement
Wilson was cleared to return to resume playing by Los Angeles back specialist Bob Watkins in January 2008. On February 12, he had his first visit of the offseason with the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He also visited the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in March, but he rejected their offer for close to the veteran minimum.
Wilson officially announced his retirement on September 10, 2008.
Personal
He currently resides in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. with his son Carrington Demond Wilson (8) .