Everson Walls
Encyclopedia
Everson Collins Walls is a former American football
cornerback
in the NFL
, having played for the Dallas Cowboys
, the New York Giants
, and the Cleveland Browns
. During his 14 seasons, he was a four-time Pro Bowl
selection. He was also a 3-time All-Pro selection. Walls won a Super Bowl
with the Giants after the 1990 season
.
in Richardson, Texas
. His senior year, he led the district in interceptions.
Walls was determined to play college football
, and after high school, he enrolled at Grambling State University
. At the time, his girlfriend was related to an assistant coach, whom Walls called regarding a walk-on spot. Walls was eventually invited to training camp and impressed legendary coach Eddie Robinson, who arranged to meet with Walls' mother about granting Walls a scholarship. Walls received a full ride and did not disappoint, earning Division I-AA All-America honors while leading the nation with 11 interceptions his senior year.
, Walls received a Pro Bowl invitation for his contributions.
, Ed "Too Tall" Jones
, Harvey Martin
, and Charlie Waters
, Walls continued his outstanding play by leading the league in interceptions in two more seasons, in 1982
and 1985
. He received Pro Bowl honors each of those years, and made it again in 1983
. During this time, however, the Cowboys were unable to reclaim their dominance in the league, as they lost the NFC title game in 1982 and fell short again in 1983 and 1985. Despite this, Walls remained one of the most feared cover cornerbacks in the league; eventually, quarterbacks were forced to stop throwing the ball to his side. Everson also was known for his contract disputes with the Cowboys, which were eventually settled in 1987, when Walls was given a three-year deal worth 5.05 million. This made him the second-highest paid cornerback in the league.
, Leonard Marshall
, and Carl Banks
, he eventually called most of the defensive plays. Coached by Bill Parcells
, with defensive coordinator Bill Belichick
, the Giants posted a 13-3 record and reached the NFC Championship game, where they traveled to San Francisco to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champion 49ers. With a late field goal, the Giants were able to pull off the upset, 15-13, to advance to Super Bowl XXV
, where they met the AFC champion Buffalo Bills. During the game, Walls made a critical play when he tackled Thurman Thomas in the open field with less than two minutes to play - a tackle that likely stopped a sure touchdown for the Bills. The Giants would win the Super Bowl, 20-19, on Scott Norwood's missed field goal attempt as time ran out. Walls was on the Sports Illustrated cover photo as he was captured with his arms raised in victory after the Giants won the game.
As Walls was now playing safety instead of cornerback, Walls recorded only seven interceptions in his final three seasons. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns during the 1992 season
and would play 13 games for them before retiring in 1993
.
.
Despite his accolades, Walls remains an outsider to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. Most recently he was a preliminary nominee for the Class of 2006, but he has yet to crack the list of semi-finalists. For years, Walls has stated that he believes his untimely position during Dwight Clark's miracle catch tarnished his otherwise outstanding pro career. This did not impact his collegiate stature, as on December 6, 2006, it was announced that Walls would be inducted into the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Hall of Fame.
Everson was named the 2010 FCS Championship game ambassador.
, who had diabetes. The surgery was successfully completed in March 2007.
In 2009, he wrote the book, "A Gift For Ron" detailing his experiences on and off the field including the decision to make the organ donation to Ron Springs.
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...
in the 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...
, having played for 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...
, 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...
, and 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...
. During his 14 seasons, he was a four-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. He was also a 3-time All-Pro selection. Walls won a Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
with the Giants after the 1990 season
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
.
Youth and college
Walls was born and raised in northern Dallas. He was nicknamed "Cubby" and he was raised by his mother two miles from the Cowboys practice facility. He played football at Lloyd V. Berkner High SchoolLloyd V. Berkner High School
Lloyd V. Berkner High School is a high school in Richardson, Texas, with a 2008 enrollment of 2,755 and a student/teacher ratio of 16.7. It is one of four high schools in the Richardson Independent School District.-History:...
in Richardson, Texas
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
. His senior year, he led the district in interceptions.
Walls was determined to play 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...
, and after high school, he enrolled at Grambling State University
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
. At the time, his girlfriend was related to an assistant coach, whom Walls called regarding a walk-on spot. Walls was eventually invited to training camp and impressed legendary coach Eddie Robinson, who arranged to meet with Walls' mother about granting Walls a scholarship. Walls received a full ride and did not disappoint, earning Division I-AA All-America honors while leading the nation with 11 interceptions his senior year.
Early NFL career
Pro scouts thought he was too slow for the NFL after he ran the 40-yard dash in a disappointing 4.72 seconds during workouts. Eventually, however, his hometown Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent, and he made an immediate impact, leading the league in interceptions with 11 during his rookie season. Coached by the legendary Tom LandryTom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
, Walls received a Pro Bowl invitation for his contributions.
Dallas years
Surrounded by an already star-studded defensive unit, which included Randy WhiteRandy White (American football)
Randall Lee "Randy" White is a former American football defensive lineman and linebacker. He attended the University of Maryland from 1971 to 1974, and played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975 to 1988. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
, Ed "Too Tall" Jones
Ed Jones (American football)
Ed Lee "Too Tall" Jones is a retired American football player in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of his 15 years with the Cowboys, he was officially credited with 57 quarterback sacks. Unofficially, his career sack total is 106...
, Harvey Martin
Harvey Martin
Harvey Banks Martin was an American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973 until 1983. He started playing football in high school, only because he overheard his father tell his mother that he was ashamed that his son did not play like his friends'...
, and Charlie Waters
Charlie Waters
Charlie Tutan Waters is a former American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys from 1970-1981 in the National Football League...
, Walls continued his outstanding play by leading the league in interceptions in two more seasons, in 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
and 1985
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
. He received Pro Bowl honors each of those years, and made it again in 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
. During this time, however, the Cowboys were unable to reclaim their dominance in the league, as they lost the NFC title game in 1982 and fell short again in 1983 and 1985. Despite this, Walls remained one of the most feared cover cornerbacks in the league; eventually, quarterbacks were forced to stop throwing the ball to his side. Everson also was known for his contract disputes with the Cowboys, which were eventually settled in 1987, when Walls was given a three-year deal worth 5.05 million. This made him the second-highest paid cornerback in the league.
Later years
In 1990, Walls joined the New York Giants, signing a two-year deal worth over one million dollars. Walls started at safety for the first time in his career, and, on a standout defensive squad with Lawrence TaylorLawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, Leonard Marshall
Leonard Marshall
Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League . Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for ten seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins...
, and Carl Banks
Carl Banks
Carl E. Banks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1984 to 1995 for the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1987, had 39.5 career quarterback sacks, and was a member of the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team...
, he eventually called most of the defensive plays. Coached by Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, with defensive coordinator Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
, the Giants posted a 13-3 record and reached the NFC Championship game, where they traveled to San Francisco to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champion 49ers. With a late field goal, the Giants were able to pull off the upset, 15-13, to advance to Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
, where they met the AFC champion Buffalo Bills. During the game, Walls made a critical play when he tackled Thurman Thomas in the open field with less than two minutes to play - a tackle that likely stopped a sure touchdown for the Bills. The Giants would win the Super Bowl, 20-19, on Scott Norwood's missed field goal attempt as time ran out. Walls was on the Sports Illustrated cover photo as he was captured with his arms raised in victory after the Giants won the game.
As Walls was now playing safety instead of cornerback, Walls recorded only seven interceptions in his final three seasons. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns during the 1992 season
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
and would play 13 games for them before retiring in 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
.
Professional legacy
Walls is one of the most prolific and decorated defensive backs to ever play the game. He is the only three-time season leader in interceptions. He also led his Cowboys in interceptions a franchise record five times, and is 10th all-time on the career interceptions list, with 57. In addition, he shares the career Pro Bowl interceptions record with four, and shares the single-game Pro Bowl record for interceptions with two. With experience under Eddie Robinson, Tom Landry, Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, Walls has had the privilege of working for some of the all-time greatest coachesCoach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Despite his accolades, Walls remains an outsider to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. Most recently he was a preliminary nominee for the Class of 2006, but he has yet to crack the list of semi-finalists. For years, Walls has stated that he believes his untimely position during Dwight Clark's miracle catch tarnished his otherwise outstanding pro career. This did not impact his collegiate stature, as on December 6, 2006, it was announced that Walls would be inducted into the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States...
Hall of Fame.
Everson was named the 2010 FCS Championship game ambassador.
Kidney donation
On Tuesday, December 12, 2006, it was announced that Walls would donate a kidney to former Cowboys teammate Ron SpringsRon Springs
Ronald Edward "Ron" Springs was a professional American football running back, who played eight seasons in the NFL, for the Dallas Cowboys from 1979–1984, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985-1986. He is the father of NFL cornerback Shawn Springs...
, who had diabetes. The surgery was successfully completed in March 2007.
In 2009, he wrote the book, "A Gift For Ron" detailing his experiences on and off the field including the decision to make the organ donation to Ron Springs.
Awards
- Division I-AA first team All-American (1980-81 season)
- Grambling State University Athletic Hall of Fame (1998)
- Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1998)
- NFL Defensive Back of the Year (1982)
- NFL Pro Bowl (1981–83, 1985)
- Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame (2003)
- SWAC Hall of Fame (2006)
- Tom Landry Award (2007)