Willie Roaf
Encyclopedia
William Layton Roaf, sometimes nicknamed "Nasty" (born April 18, 1970 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
) is a former American football
offensive tackle.
. Known for his blocking ability, and for his considerable speed for his size, he was a finalist in his senior year for the Outland Trophy
for the best offensive lineman in college. He began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints
, who drafted him with the eighth pick of the first round in the 1993 draft. This draft pick was acquired from the Detroit Lions
for the rights to Pat Swilling
. Roaf played nine years for the Saints; he was named to seven Pro Bowl
s, and won a spot on both the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team
, making him the most awarded player in Saints history. Roaf suffered a season-ending injury in 2001 and then was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs
in March 2002 for a conditional draft choice. He played four more seasons with the Chiefs, and was selected for the Pro Bowl
in each of those four years, for a total of 11 Pro Bowl selections.
said he was holding out hope that Roaf would reverse his decision, but Roaf said he was "solid" on retirement. In 2009 Roaf took his first coaching job, as the offensive line coach at Santa Monica College
in Santa Monica, California
.
Roaf has been elected to sports halls of fame for Arkansas (in 2007), Louisiana (in 2009), and the New Orleans Saints (in 2008). He was among the 15 modern-era finalists for the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame
class in his first year of eligibility.
and attended Pine Bluff High School
. His father was a dentist and his mother, Andree Layton Roaf
, was the first black woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court
.
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
) 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...
offensive tackle.
Football career
Roaf was lightly recruited out of high school, and even considered pursuing basketball instead of football in college, but he went on to have an outstanding football career at Louisiana TechLouisiana Tech Bulldogs football
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football program represents Louisiana Tech University in Western Athletic Conference. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the Bulldogs first season in 1901, Louisiana Tech has compiled an all-time record of 554 wins, 422...
. Known for his blocking ability, and for his considerable speed for his size, he was a finalist in his senior year for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
for the best offensive lineman in college. He began his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, who drafted him with the eighth pick of the first round in the 1993 draft. This draft pick was acquired from the Detroit Lions
Detroit 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...
for the rights to Pat Swilling
Pat Swilling
Patrick Travis Swilling is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and a delegate in the Louisiana House of Representatives. He earned five Pro Bowl appearances.-College career:...
. Roaf played nine years for the Saints; he was named to seven 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...
s, and won a spot on both the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team
National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team
The NFL 2000s All-Decade Team is composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the ten years spanning 2000–2009. Only a player or coach's performance in the 2000s is used as criteria for voting....
, making him the most awarded player in Saints history. Roaf suffered a season-ending injury in 2001 and then was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in March 2002 for a conditional draft choice. He played four more seasons with the Chiefs, and was selected for the 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...
in each of those four years, for a total of 11 Pro Bowl selections.
Retirement
On July 28, 2006, Roaf told the Kansas City Star that he was retiring from football. General manager Carl PetersonCarl Peterson
Carl D. Peterson grew up in Long Beach, California, and is an alumnus of UCLA. He is best known as the former president, general manager, and chief executive officer of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
said he was holding out hope that Roaf would reverse his decision, but Roaf said he was "solid" on retirement. In 2009 Roaf took his first coaching job, as the offensive line coach at Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
Roaf has been elected to sports halls of fame for Arkansas (in 2007), Louisiana (in 2009), and the New Orleans Saints (in 2008). He was among the 15 modern-era finalists for the 2011 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...
class in his first year of eligibility.
Personal life
Roaf was born in Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
and attended Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School
Pine Bluff High School is a public high school in Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas, USA. It is the largest public school in the city and county.-Mission:...
. His father was a dentist and his mother, Andree Layton Roaf
Andree Layton Roaf
Andree Layton Roaf was an Arkansas lawyer and jurist. She was the first African-American woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court, and is the mother of former NFL offensive lineman Willie Roaf.-Early life:...
, was the first black woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
.