Willie Williams (football player)
Encyclopedia
Willie James Williams is a former American football
cornerback
in the National Football League
. He was drafted out of Western Carolina University
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in 1993 and spent 4 seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a key member of the 1995 Steelers team that played in Super Bowl XXX
. From 1997 to 2003, Williams played for the Seattle Seahawks
, before returning to the Steelers for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Williams had a much smaller role in 2005, but still posted 10 tackle
s, adding to his career totals of 602 tackles and 26 interceptions. Williams has the distinction of being the only player from the Steelers 1996 Super Bowl XXX
roster to be a member of the Steelers 2006 Super Bowl XL
roster. The Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks
in that game 21-10 (though Williams was not active in Super Bowl XL
, and did not dress with pads). He is also the cousin of Tamera Young of the Atlanta Dream (WNBA).
On March 3, 2006, Willams and veteran QB
Tommy Maddox
, were released as salary cap
casualties due to their diminishing abilities. Williams then retired from 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...
in 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 out of Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system....
by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in 1993 and spent 4 seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a key member of the 1995 Steelers team that played in Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
. From 1997 to 2003, Williams played for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, before returning to the Steelers for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Williams had a much smaller role in 2005, but still posted 10 tackle
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
s, adding to his career totals of 602 tackles and 26 interceptions. Williams has the distinction of being the only player from the Steelers 1996 Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
roster to be a member of the Steelers 2006 Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
roster. The Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in that game 21-10 (though Williams was not active in Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, and did not dress with pads). He is also the cousin of Tamera Young of the Atlanta Dream (WNBA).
On March 3, 2006, Willams and veteran QB
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...
Tommy Maddox
Tommy Maddox
Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, the XFL and the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:At L. D...
, were released as 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...
casualties due to their diminishing abilities. Williams then retired from football.