The Story And Significance Of Champ Bailey - Most Pro Bowls For A Defensive Back With Twelve Selections

Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.

In 2004, Bailey was traded to the Denver Broncos, where he played for ten seasons until he was released in early 2014, following the Broncos' Super Bowl XLVIII loss. Bailey signed with the New Orleans Saints shortly afterward but was released before the start of the regular season. In October 2014, Bailey announced his retirement from the NFL after 15 seasons. He was selected to 12 Pro Bowls in his career, the most ever for a cornerback. He holds the current NFL record for most passes defended, with 203. In 2019, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Bailey is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history.

The Washington Redskins selected Bailey in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. The Redskins traded their first- (12th overall), third- (71st overall), fourth- (106th overall), and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft and their third-round pick (87th overall) in the 2000 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their first-round pick (seventh overall) to use to secure their draft pick to immediately select Bailey. He was the first ever drafted player to come from his hometown of Folkston, Georgia.

On July 24, 1999, the Redskins signed Bailey to a five–year, $9.64 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $5.25 million. The contract had a maximum value of $12 million with incentives and bonuses included.

He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan following the departure of Cris Dishman. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Darrell Green the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 12, 1999, Bailey made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Washington Redskins' home-opener against the Dallas Cowboys and made six solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his first career interception on a pass Troy Aikman threw to wide receiver Rocket Ismail as they lost in overtime 41–35. In Week 4, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass break-up as the Redskins defeated the Carolina Panthers 36–38. On October 17, 1999, Bailey recorded six combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, set a career-high with three interceptions off passes thrown by Jake Plummer, and returned one 59–yards to score his first career touchdown during a 24–10 victory at the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 14, he recorded six solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–28. He started all 16 games during his rookie season and finished with 80 combined tackles (73 solo), 15 pass deflections, five interceptions, one sack, and had one touchdown.

The Washington Redskins finished the 1999 NFL season with a 10–6 record to place first in the NFC East. On January 8, 2000, Bailey started in his first career playoff appearance and recorded three solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by Gus Frerotte as the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions 13–27 in the NFC Wild-Card Game.

On June 7, 2000, the Washington Redskins signed Deion Sanders and immediately named him the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. The Redskins hired Ray Rhodes to be their new defensive coordinator after they chose not to re-sign Mike Nolan. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Deion Sanders the starting cornerbacks to begin the season alongside Darrell Green.

On September 3, 2000, Bailey started in the Redskins' home-opener against the Carolina Panthers and set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass deflection as they won 17–20. The following week, he had one solo tackle, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Charlie Batch during a 10–15 loss at the Detroit Lions in Week 2. On November 20, 2000, he recorded one solo tackle, had one pass break-up, and helped secure a 33–20 win at the St. Louis Rams by intercepting a pass by Trent Green to wide receiver Isaac Bruce with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. On December 4, 2000, the Redskins fired head coach Norv Turner as they had a 7–6 record and appointed assistant head coach Terry Robiskie to interim head coach. On December 24, 2000, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Jake Plummer threw to wide receiver David Boston as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–20. He started in all 16 games for the second consecutive season and made 61 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 pass deflections, and five interceptions. He was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking his first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

On January 4, 2001, the Washington Redskins hired former Kansas City Chiefs' head coach Marty Schottenheimer as their vice president of football operations and head coach. The Redskins selected cornerback Fred Smoot in the second round (45th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. On July 28, 2001, Deion Sanders announced his retirement two days before reporting to training camp. Defensive coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer retained Bailey as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with rookie Fred Smoot.

On September 9, 2001, Bailey started in the Redskins' season-opener at the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football and made four solo tackles, a pass deflection, one fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass by Doug Flutie to wide receiver Tim Dwight during a 3–30 loss. In Week 15, he set a season-high with six solo tackles and had one pass break-up during a 15–20 loss to the Chicago Bears. The following week, he had four solo tackles, tied his season-high of three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Aaron Brooks threw to wide receiver Willie Jackson during a 40–10 win at the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. He started all 16 games throughout the 2001 NFL season and finished with 51 combined tackles (49 solo), 18 pass deflections, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He was selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, marking his second of 12 Pro Bowl selections throughout his career.

On January 13, 2002, the Redskins' owner, Daniel Snyder, fired head coach Marty Schottenheimer after one season with an 8–8 record. The following day, the Washington Redskins hired Florida Gators' head coach Steve Spurrier as the new head coach. This would be Bailey's third head coach as well as his fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons. On February 11, 2002, the Redskins unexpectedly hired Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis to be their new assistant head coach/defensive coordinator. Lewis reportedly agreed to return to the Ravens after leading a historic defense to Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.

On September 8, 2002, Bailey started in the season-opener at the Arizona Cardinals and made five combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer to wide receiver Frank Sanders during a 31–23 victory. In Week 5, he made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and helped secure a 31–14 victory at the Tennessee Titans by intercepting a pass by Steve McNair to wide receiver Drew Bennett midway through the fourth quarter. On November 17, 2002, Bailey set a season-high with seven solo tackles and set a career-high with six pass deflections during a 17–19 loss at the New York Giants. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and made 68 combined tackles (62 solo) and three interceptions. He set a career-high with 24 pass deflections.

On January 14, 2003, Washington Redskins' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis became the new head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. George Edwards would be promoted, becoming Bailey's fifth defensive coordinator in-a-row. Head coach Steve Spurrier retained Bailey and Fred Smoot as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season following the retirement of Darrell Green. In Week 4, he made seven combined tackles (six solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass Tom Brady threw to wide receiver David Givens as the Redskins defeated the New England Patriots 17–20. In Week 11, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (seven solo) and made one pass deflection during a 20–17 loss at the Carolina Panthers. He started all 16 games and made 72 combined tackles (68 solo), nine pass deflections, had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and had one forced fumble. He was named to the 2004 Pro Bowl, marking his fourth consecutive selection.

At the conclusion of the 2003 NFL season, Bailey was on the cusp of entering free agency for the first time if the Redskins did not use their franchise tag on him. With this possibility, Bailey threatened to boycott training camp if they were to exercise their franchise tag on him. On February 16, 2004, the Washington Redskins officially exercised their franchise tag on Bailey, ceasing any plans to partake in free agency.

Unexpectedly, Redskins' owner Dan Snyder agreed to allow Bailey and his agent seek a trade. Multiple teams immediately expressed interest in acquiring Bailey, reportedly four to six teams. On February 25, 2004, it was reported that the Denver Broncos had probably edged out the New York Jets with a more appealing trade and would likely be the team to acquire Bailey.

On March 4, 2004, the Washington Redskins traded Champ Bailey and a second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2004 NFL draft to the Denver Broncos in exchange for running back Clinton Portis. Days prior, the Broncos had reached an agreement on a contract extension with Bailey. Immediately following the trade, the Denver Broncos officially signed Bailey to a seven–year, $63 million contract extension that included $23 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $18 million, becoming the largest contract for a cornerback in league history.

He entered training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback following the departure of Deltha O'Neal. He joined a secondary that included Lenny Walls, Kenoy Kennedy and John Lynch under defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. No. 2 starting cornerback Larry Walls was expected to return as the starter, but an ankle injury sidelined him for the entirety of training camp.

Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Kelly Herndon the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 12, 2004, Bailey made his debut in the Denver Broncos' home-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and made six combined tackles (two solo), a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green during a 24–34 win on ESPN Sunday Night Football. On November 21, 2004, Bailey set a career-high with 13 combined tackles (11 solo), made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Aaron Brooks to wide receiver Joe Horn during a 34–13 victory at the New Orleans Saints. He started all 16 games for the sixth consecutive season and recorded 81 combined tackles (68 solo), made 12 pass deflections, and three interceptions.

The Denver Broncos finished the 2004 NFL season with a 10–6 record for second place in the AFC West. On January 9, 2005, Bailey started in the AFC Wild-Card Game at the Indianapolis Colts and recorded eight solo tackles and made one pass deflection as they lost 24–49.

The Denver Broncos used their three highest draft picks in 2005 to draft cornerbacks. They selected Darrent Williams in the second-round (56th overall) and both Karl Paymah (76th overall) and Dominique Foxworth (97th overall) in the third-round of the 2005 NFL draft. The three new rookies and veteran Lenny Walls competed amongst themselves to determine a replacement. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and rookie Darrent Williams the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 18, 2005, Bailey recorded three solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Drew Brees to wide receiver Keenan McCardell and returned it for a 25–yard touchdown as the Broncos defeated the San Diego Chargers 17–20. In Week 3, Bailey made three combined tackles (two solo) and had two pass break-ups before he exited in the second quarter of a 10–30 win against the Kansas City Chiefs after his leg buckled from under him when he tried to get up following a tackle on fullback Tony Richardson. He received an MRI and was confirmed to not have suffered any tears, but had sustained an injury to his hamstring that would sideline him for the next two games (Weeks 4–5). This would become the first games he would miss in his career and end a streak of 99 consecutive starts, one shy of 100. On October 23, 2005, Bailey recorded four combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Eli Manning threw to wide receiver Plaxico Burress during a 23–24 loss at the New York Giants. On November 13, 2005, Bailey set a season-high with 10 combined tackles (eight solo), had two pass deflections, and one interception on a pass from Kerry Collins to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 31–17 victory at the Oakland Raiders. On November 24, 2005, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, made three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Drew Bledsoe threw to tight end Dan Campbell and returned it 65–yards for a touchdown during a 24–21 overtime victory at the Dallas Cowboys. The following week, he had one solo tackle, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green thrown to Tony Gonzalez during a 31–27 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13. On December 11, 2005, Bailey made eight combined tackles (seven solo), two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass by Kyle Boller to tight end Todd Heap as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 12–10. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (60 solo) and 23 pass deflections in 13 games and 13 starts. He set a new career-high with eight interceptions that he would immediately break the next season and also set a new career-high with two pick-sixes in a single season that would stand for the rest of his career.

The Denver Broncos finished the 2005 NFL season first in the AFC West with a 13–3 record, earning a first-round bye. On January 14, 2006, Bailey started in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots and recorded two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Tom Brady to wide receiver Troy Brown in the endzone while the Broncos were leading 10–6 at the time. He returned the interception 100–yards down the left sidelined and as he approached the opposite endzone tight end Benjamin Watson delivered an unexpected hit that instantly knocked the ball from Bailey's possession and sent it flying out-of-play at the one–yard line. His return broke the record for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history at the time and had been routinely added to highlight reels on the NFL Network, including being ranked 85th in the NFL 100 Greatest Plays. The blow delivered by Ben Watson sent the ball flying out of Bailey's hands so rapidly that it was difficult to determine if the ball exited the field-of-play at the one–yard line or if it had crossed through the endzone to result in a touchback. The result of the call would most likely have affected the outcome of game. If it was determined that the ball had exited through the endzone, the Patriots would've received possession at their 20–yard line down 10–3. The referee determined the ball exited the field-of-play at the sideline, which resulted in the Broncos receiving possession at the one–yard line, which led to a one–yard rushing touchdown by running back Mike Anderson to increase their lead by 14 points to 17–3. The Broncos capitalized on this outcome to defeat the Patriots 27–13 to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

He returned to training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Darrent Williams the starting cornerback duo to begin the season. On September 10, 2006, Bailey started in the Denver Broncos' season-opener at the St. Louis Rams and set a season-high with nine solo tackles as they lost 10–18. In Week 5, he recorded five combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and had his first interception of the season on a pass Steve McNair threw to wide receiver Clarence Moore as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 13–3. On October 22, 2006, he had two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass Charlie Frye threw to wide receiver Braylon Edwards during a 17–7 victory at the Cleveland Browns. On November 5, 2006, Bailey recorded seven solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and had two interceptions thrown by Ben Roethlisberger during a 31–20 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 17, 2006, Bailey made four combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and tied his season-high of two interceptions after picking off two passes Matt Leinart threw to wide receiver Anquan Boldin during a 37–20 win at the Arizona Cardinals. The following week, he recorded six solo tackles, had one pass break-up, a fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass Carson Palmer threw to wide receiver Chad Johnson during a 24–23 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. In Week 17, Bailey made five solo tackles, a pass break-up, and intercepted a pass by Alex Smith to running back Frank Gore and returned it 70–yards for a touchdown during a 26–23 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers. His pick-six would mark the last touchdown of his career and also set a new career-high with his 10th interception of the season, which also tied New England Patriots' cornerback Asante Samuel for the most interceptions in the 2006 NFL season.

Bailey, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor were unanimous choices for the NFL All-Pro team. Following the season's conclusion, Bailey finished second in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

On January 1, 2007, No. 2 starting cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and murdered in a drive-by shooting while he was sitting inside a Hummer limousine. It was later discovered the gang members responsible intended to target wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

On January 8, 2007, the Denver Broncos released defensive coordinator Larry Coyer following a so-called "mid-season meltdown" where the Broncos began with a 7–2 record and finished the season with a 9–7 record in 2006. The Broncos hired Jim Bates to be the assistant head coach, but was responsible for running the defense with newly promoted defensive backs coach Bob Slowik listed as the defensive coordinator. On March 1, 2007, the Broncos acquired ×2 Pro Bowl cornerback Dre Bly in a trade with the Detroit Lions as a response to losing Darrent Williams.

In Week 2, Bailey made four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Josh McCown threw to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 23–20 overtime victory at the Oakland Raiders. In Week 4, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles during a 20–38 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. He was inactive for a 31–28 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 due to a thigh injury he sustained in their previous game against the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. He finished the 2007 NFL season with 84 combined tackles (71 solo), 14 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts.

On January 8, 2008, the Denver Broncos fired assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Bates after a 7–9 record in 2007. Bobby Slowik was given full responsibility over the defense as defensive coordinator. He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season alongside Dre Bly. On September 14, 2008, Bailey made seven solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass by Philip Rivers to wide receiver Chris Chambers during a 38–39 victory against the San Diego Chargers. In Week 7, Bailey recorded two solo tackles and had one pass deflection before he exited the field in the second quarter of a 7–41 loss at the New England Patriots due to a groin injury. He remained inactive for the next seven games (Weeks 9–15) due to a torn groin muscle. On December 21, 2008, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and had a strip/sack for an eight–yard loss on Trent Edwards during a 30–23 loss against the Buffalo Bills. He finished with 44 combined tackles (39 solo), three pass deflections, one sack, and one interception in nine games and nine starts. On December 30, 2008, the Broncos fired head coach Mike Shanahan after they finished with an 8–8 record.

On January 11, 2009, the Denver Broncos hired Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. Mike Nolan was hired to be defensive coordinator, reuniting him with Bailey as his defensive coordinator from his rookie year with the Washington Redskins.

The Broncos selected cornerback Alphonso Smith in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft, trading their first-round pick (14th overall) in 2010 NFL draft to the Seattle Seahawks in order to acquire the draft pick to select him. Alphonso Smith and André Goodman competed for the role as the No. 2 starting cornerback to replace Dre Bly. Head coach Josh McDaniels named Bailey and André Goodman the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 15, 2009, Bailey was chosen for the Broncos 50th Anniversary team by the Denver community. On October 4, 2009, Bailey recorded eight solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Tony Romo threw to wide receiver Miles Austin during a 17–10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 9, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 10–28 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started all 16 games throughout the 2009 NFL season and recorded 74 combined tackles (63 solo), 15 pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack. In 2009, Bailey did not allow a touchdown in 80 passes thrown his way that year and played on 98% of the snaps.

In 2010, Bailey matched up against some of the NFL's best wideouts. He held Dwayne Bowe to no catches on 2 targets. The Arizona Cardinals only completed 3 passes on him for 19 yards in a game where he matched up with Larry Fitzgerald. Bailey was selected to play in his record-breaking 10th Pro Bowl. No cornerback in NFL history has been to more. He was ranked 48th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

It was announced on February 22, 2011, by the Broncos vice president of football operations, John Elway, that Bailey was re-signed to a 4-year contract.

During the 2012 offseason, Bailey was named the 46th-best player in the NFL by the league's network, NFL Network.

In 2012, Bailey was named an All-Pro for the 8th time of his career and was selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl selection was his 12th, extending the record he set for trips by a cornerback, and tied the record for most Pro Bowls played, along with Randall McDaniel and Will Shields. On December 6, 2012, Bailey recorded the 52nd and final interception of his career, picking off Carson Palmer in a 26–13 victory on Thursday Night Football over the Oakland Raiders.

During the 2012 AFC Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens, Bailey was beaten woefully multiple times on deep routes by Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, who totaled 98 yards for two touchdowns on three catches as Baltimore would go on to win in dramatic fashion 38–35 in double overtime, en route to eventually winning Super Bowl XLVII. Bailey's struggles against Smith led to the initial speculation on the effectiveness of the aging 34-year-old cornerback.

During the 2013 offseason, Bailey was named the 53rd-best player in the NFL by his peers on the league's network, NFL Network.

During the course of the 2013 season, while not making his season debut until week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts, Bailey was limited to a career-low 5 games with a foot injury; however, Bailey returned in time for the playoffs and held his own when fellow cornerback, Chris Harris, was ruled out for the remainder of the season after a torn ACL Bailey played in his first Super Bowl at Super Bowl XLVIII in which he had 4 tackles in a 43–8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. (which would turn out to be the final game Bailey played).

On March 6, 2014, the Denver Broncos released Bailey.

On April 4, 2014, Champ Bailey signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. Bailey failed to make the final roster and was released by the team on August 30, 2014.

Bailey announced his retirement from professional football on October 18, 2014. On November 14, 2014, it was announced that Bailey would sign a one-day contract with Denver to allow him to officially retire as a Bronco.

On February 2, 2019, Bailey was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was enshrined on August 3, 2019, during a ceremony in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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The Story And Significance Of Tony Dungy - First Black Head Coach To Win A Super Bowl And First Modern-Era Head Coach To Be Elected To The Hall Of Fame

Anthony Kevin Dungy  is an American former professional football safety and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League for 13 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. His teams became perennial postseason contenders under his leadership, missing the playoffs only twice with Tampa Bay. He led the Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI, making him the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl.

Dungy began his head coaching tenure in 1996 with the Buccaneers, a franchise regarded as one of the league's worst. Through implementation of the Tampa 2 defensive scheme, he brought new success to the Buccaneers, leading them to four playoff appearances in six seasons. He was fired after the 2001 playoffs due to frequent postseason struggles, but is credited with constructing the team that won Super Bowl XXXVII the following year. After his departure from Tampa Bay, he served as the Colts' head coach for seven seasons, qualifying for the playoffs in each. His greatest success occurred with the Colts' Super Bowl-winning season in 2006, the franchise's first in over three decades and the first since relocating to Indianapolis. He retired from coaching following the 2008 season.

Since retiring, Dungy has served as an analyst on NBC's Football Night in America. He is also the national spokesman for the fatherhood program All Pro Dad. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

After going undrafted, Dungy signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent and was converted to defensive back, going on to play three seasons in the NFL. His best season was in 1978, when he intercepted six passes and won a championship ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII.

Dungy is the most recent NFL player to intercept a pass and throw an interception in the same game. Dungy was the emergency quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 1977 game against the Houston Oilers when both Terry Bradshaw and Mike Kruczek went down with injuries on October 9.

After being cut by the New York Giants in training camp before the 1980 season, Dungy returned to Minnesota as defensive backfield coach. He took the same position with the Steelers in 1982, and was promoted in 1984 to defensive coordinator. Following a 5–11 season in 1988, Steelers owner Dan Rooney forced head coach Chuck Noll to make changes to his coaching staff, which included demoting Dungy back to defensive backs coach. From 1989 to 1991, Dungy served as defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. From 1992 to 1995, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings under head coach Dennis Green.

Dungy became an NFL head coach when he was hired by Rich McKay to reform the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team then well known for its lack of success, on January 22, 1996. Dungy installed his version of the Cover 2 defense with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin with a few new wrinkles. The result was the now-famous Tampa 2, though Dungy openly admitted it was based on concepts he had picked up from his days in Pittsburgh.

Following the 2002 season, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, their first appearance in the championship game. Dungy was fired after the prior season and replaced with Jon Gruden because he could not get the team there, but is now credited with developing the team’s championship-caliber foundation.

Dungy's 56 victories were the most in Buccaneers history until 2008 when Jon Gruden surpassed him with his 57th win.

On January 22, 2002, Dungy was hired as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, a team that at the time was potent offensively but weak defensively. He installed his "Tampa 2" defense immediately and continued to retool the Colts' defense to his liking during his tenure. After joining the Colts, Dungy left the high-powered offense previously installed there by Jim Mora, in both playing style and in personnel, virtually unchanged. Dungy was reunited with Tom Moore, who was retained as offensive coordinator. Moore and Dungy had previously worked together at Minnesota and Pittsburgh.

During his early tenure in Indianapolis, Dungy struggled to fix the Colts' defense and had mixed results in the postseason. In his first season at Indianapolis, the Colts were shut out 41–0 by the New York Jets in a first-round playoff game, and the team lost postseason games to the New England Patriots in both 2003 (in the AFC championship game) and 2004 (in the second round of the playoffs). Dungy signed a three-year contract extension in October 2005 for US$5 million per year.

The Colts' 2006 playoff run was characterized by a marked improvement in defensive play, as the Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, holding one of the NFL's best running backs to less than 50 yards, and beat the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. On January 21, 2007, after trailing 21–3, the Colts defeated the New England Patriots to become AFC champions and advanced to Super Bowl XLI. This was the largest comeback in conference title-game history. Dungy coached the Colts to a 29–17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Dungy became the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl. Dungy would coach two more seasons in Indianapolis, retiring after the 2008 season.

Dungy's career has included several notable firsts. Among them, Dungy is the first NFL head coach to defeat all 32 NFL teams. He was also the youngest assistant coach at age 25 and the youngest coordinator at age 28 in NFL history.

On offense, Tony Dungy's strategy involved a conservative, ball-control offense based primarily around running the ball and short, high-percentage passes when he was at Tampa Bay. At Indianapolis, he inherited and kept the offense designed by offensive coordinator Tom Moore because the offense was in the hands of someone he knew and trusted.

On defense, Dungy used a stifling "Cover 2"-style zone defense, which usually was based around a formation of four linemen, three linebackers, and four defensive backs. The "Cover 2" defense Dungy used involved his linemen rushing the passer, the cornerbacks covering the passing flat area, the linebackers covering the middle of the field, and the safeties providing deep coverage on each half of their respective zones. While the Cover 2 defense was not a new concept, Dungy contributed to its greater use by systemizing it into an every-down defense. The personnel and techniques that Dungy used in this defense were very specific, and as a result, his style of defense earned the moniker of the "Tampa 2" around the NFL.

Dungy is mentioned in the book Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, in chapter 3: "The Golden Rule of Habit Change."

Dungy opposes the use of replay review in the NFL. In 1997, after a failed vote by NFL owners to reinstate instant replay, Dungy said that he would have favored replay if it were applicable to all calls and if it were not associated with a team's timeouts. The Tampa Bay Times described Dungy as "vehemently opposed" to replay in 2003, after the league had resumed using it.

In 2002, Dungy acknowledged he made a mistake by not challenging one of Peyton Manning's interceptions, and he also criticized the league's handling of replay challenges. "We have plays where whistles are blown too fast, and I think we're getting to the point where we're letting coaches officiate the game," said Dungy, who said that it had become a trend for officials to expect coaches to challenge controversial calls.

Dungy has continued to criticize the NFL's replay system in his role as a broadcaster on NBC. In 2019, after a failed challenge by Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who contended that the Philadelphia Eagles committed pass interference that was not called on the field, Dungy said on television that the replay system was not working as intended. Dungy posted on his Twitter account, "That's terrible. I don't understand this replay review of Pass Interference. That one on Philadelphia couldn't have been more clear cut. If they're not going to reverse that one I don't see how they can reverse any call."

NBC Sports hired Dungy in 2009 as a broadcast analyst for programming related to Sunday Night Football. Dungy was hired at the same time as Rodney Harrison, and the two have appeared with other analysts on Football Night in America, NBC's pregame show for SNF. In addition to his studio analyst duties, Dungy has joined Mike Tirico in the broadcast booth for live action of Thanksgiving Day games. He called the Jaguars–Chargers Wild Card playoff game in January 2023 with Al Michaels; the broadcast attracted criticism from fans who felt that Michaels and Dungy were not energetic enough. Michaels defended the broadcast, calling the criticism that he had read "Internet compost".

NBC Sports placed Dungy in the broadcast booth for the 2020 Notre Dame football season, replacing Doug Flutie.

In 2021, on an open media call, Dungy criticized the NFL's partnerships with seven sportsbooks, after a long period where the league opposed sports betting of any sort. "I don’t know why the NFL changed its stance. My objection is just personal. I don’t think we should encourage people who are watching the NFL to gamble. Especially young people," Dungy said.

In August 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Dungy a member of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The 25-member council represents leaders from government, business, entertainment, athletics and non-profit organizations committed to growing the spirit of service and civic participation. The two-year appointment requires attendance at two in-person meetings per year and quarterly phone conversations with assigned committees. After receiving the call from President Bush, Dungy remarked "It was something that was really hard to believe. Certainly, when you go into football coaching, you’re not expecting to get presidential appointments to anything."

In March 2009, President Barack Obama invited Dungy to join the Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He declined the invitation to join the council because of scheduling conflicts, as he could make only two of 2009's four council meetings, but agreed to be an informal adviser on fatherhood issues.

He had also turned down offers from National Football League Players' Association to become liaison to the NFL.

Dungy is an evangelical Christian, and at one point in his coaching career considered leaving football for the prison ministry. Throughout his career, he has remained involved with community service organizations.

Dungy is married to Lauren Dungy. They have 11 children: 3 biological children and 8 adopted children. Their oldest son died by suicide at age 18, outside of Tampa in 2005.

Dungy's tenure in Tampa Bay as the head coach of the Buccaneers brought greater attention to his personal accomplishments outside of sports. He has been active in many community-service organizations in the cities in which he has coached. While in Tampa Bay, Dungy worked as a public speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action.

He began a mentoring program for young people called Mentors for Life, and provided Buccaneers' tickets for the participants. He also supported other charitable programs in the area such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, the Prison Crusade Ministry, foster parenting organizations, and Family First. He continues to assist Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Boys and Girls Club in Indianapolis. He also supports the Black Coaches Association National Convention and Indiana Black Expo.

After Michael Sam, an openly gay player, was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL draft, Dungy said he would not have drafted Sam, saying, "Not because I don't believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn't want to deal with all of it." The comment drew criticism from some who viewed it as homophobic. Following a backlash, Dungy clarified his remarks, saying that he gave an "honest answer" to a question and that his concern would be with media coverage over Sam if he had been the player's coach. Dungy has also expressed opposition to same-sex marriage. In 2023, Dungy shared, and later deleted and apologized for sharing, the litter boxes in schools hoax on his Twitter account. The act drew a rebuke from an NBC Sports spokesperson, and drew attention to past anti-LGBTQ statements by Dungy, but the network kept Dungy on his regularly scheduled broadcast assignments.

Dungy is opposed to abortion, and he served as a keynote speaker at the 2023 March for Life. Dungy opposed Florida Amendment 4, calling the amendment's language "deceptive".

On September 6, 2007, The Indianapolis Star reported that the Davie-Brown Index (DBI), an independent celebrity-rating service for advertisers, placed Dungy in the top 15 of the 900 actors, musicians, TV personalities, and sports celebrities it ranks for overall appeal, putting him on a level with actors such as Tom Hanks and Morgan Freeman. Among sports figures, he ranks second to Hank Aaron.

On February 27, 2008, Indiana Wesleyan University honored Dungy in a ceremony where he was inducted into IWU's Society of World Changers. Dungy also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the university.

Since retirement, Dungy has become an informal mentor to the formerly suspended NFL player Michael Vick, counseling him during his incarceration, serving as his advocate in trying to get a team to have him on the roster (the Philadelphia Eagles later signed Vick to the team).

Dungy was on the cover of NFL Head Coach 09 as its "cover coach"

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2016) – the first black head coach of the modern era, he is the second of all time to Fritz Pollard, to receive this honor. (Former Oakland Raiders player and head coach Art Shell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989, but for his accomplishments as a player.)

Sources

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Dungy, Tony; Bates, Amy June (2008). You Can Do It!. Little Simon Inspirations. ISBN 978-1-4169-5461-3.

Dungy, Tony; Whitaker, Nathan (2009). Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance. Tyndale House. ISBN 978-1-4143-2681-8.

Dungy, Tony; Whitaker, Nathan (2010). The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People & Teams That Win Consistently. Tyndale House. ISBN 978-1-4143-3804-0.

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The Story And Significance Of Aeneas Williams - Fourteen Defensive Touchdowns Scored Over His Fourteen Year Career

Aeneas Demetrius Williams is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback and safety in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Southern Jaguars and was selected in the third round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Phoenix Cardinals, where he spent 10 seasons. During his final four seasons, he was a member of the St. Louis Rams. Williams received eight Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors, as well as being on the second NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

The Phoenix Cardinals selected Williams in the third round (59th overall) of the 1991 NFL draft. He was the sixth cornerback selected. He became Southern's ninth highest player selected in the history of the NFL Draft and their 55th player selected in the draft since 1967.

On July 19, 1991, the Cardinals signed Williams to a three–year, $960,000 rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $200,000. Throughout training camp, Williams competed against Cedric Mack, Robert Massey, and Jay Taylor to be the No. 1 starting cornerback under new defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur. On August 23, 1991, the Phoenix Cardinals unexpectedly cut Cedric Mack as part of their final roster cuts. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Robert Massey as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 1, 1991, Williams made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Phoenix Cardinals' season-opener at the Los Angeles Rams and recorded three solo tackles and had his first career interception on a pass thrown by Jim Everett as they won 24–14. The following week, he recorded three solo tackles, set a season-high with two fumble recoveries, and intercepted a pass running back Keith Byars attempted to throw as he was hit by linebacker Garth Jax during a 26–10 win at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. In Week 12, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo) during a 10–14 loss at the San Francisco 49ers. The following week, Williams recorded four solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jim McMahon as the Cardinals lost 34–14 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. On December 15, 1991, Williams made four solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by John Elway during a 19–24 loss at the Denver Broncos. He finished his rookie season with 66 combined tackles (58 solo), 10 pass deflections, six interceptions, and two fumble recoveries in 16 games and 15 starts. His six interceptions tied for the most in the NFC in 1991, alongside Deion Sanders, Tim McKyer, and Ray Crockett.

He returned to training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback with Robert Massey and Lorenzo Lynch competing for the other starting role. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Lorenzo Lynch the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. Prior to Week 4, defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur demoted Lorenzo Lynch to a backup and replaced him in the starting lineup with Robert Massey for the rest of the season. On November 22, 1992, Williams set a season-high with seven combined tackles (six solo), made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass attempt by Troy Aikman during a 16–10 loss against the Dallas Cowboys. He started all 16 games throughout the 1992 NFL season for the first time in his career and made 50 combined tackles (39 solo), 10 pass deflections, and three interceptions.

He returned to training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Robert Massey was a contract holdout and would miss the entire preseason as well as the first seven games of the season. Head coach Joe Bugel named Williams and Lorenzo Lynch as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 5, 1993, Williams started in the Phoenix Cardinals' season-opener at the Philadelphia Eagles and set a season-high with six solo tackles and made one pass deflection as they lost 17–23. On October 31, 1993, Williams made six combined tackles (five solo), one pass deflection, and scored a career-high two touchdowns on an interception return and a return on a fumble recovery during a 20–17 loss against the New Orleans Saints. He scored the first touchdown of his career in the first quarter after recovering a fumble by wide receiver Quinn Early and returning it 20–yards for a touchdown. The first pick-six of his career occurred in the second quarter after he intercepted a pass Wade Wilson threw to wide receiver Eric Martin and returned it 46–yards for a touchdown. The following game, Williams recorded three combined tackles (two solo), set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Ken O'Brien as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 3–16 in Week 10. He started all 16 games throughout the 1993 NFL season and made 47 combined tackles (43 solo), 12 pass deflections, two interceptions, two touchdowns, and one fumble recovery. He was selected to play in the 1994 Pro Bowl to mark the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

On January 24, 1994, the Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Joe Bugel after they ended the 1993 NFL season with a 7–9 record. On February 3, 1994, the Cardinals hired former Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Buddy Ryan to takeover as their new head coach. On February 17, 1994, the Arizona Cardinals signed Williams to a two–year, $3 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $900,000.

Entering training camp, Williams remained as the No. 1 starting cornerback under the new defensive coordinator Ronnie Jones. Head coach Buddy Ryan named Williams and James Williams the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 18, 1994, Williams made five solo tackles, one pass break-up, and had his first interception of the season on a pass Vinny Testaverde threw to wide receiver Mark Carrier during a 0–32 loss at the Cleveland Browns. On October 16, 1994, Williams made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on pass attempts thrown by Heath Shuler during a 19–16 overtime victory at the Washington Redskins. In Week 12, he recorded two solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Randall Cunningham threw to wide receiver Fred Barnett as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 6–12. On December 11, 1994, Williams made five solo tackles, one pass deflection, and made his ninth interception of the season on a pass thrown by Heath Shuler to wide receiver Olanda Truitt as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 15–17. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and made 42 combined tackles (40 solo). He set a new career-high in interceptions (9) and passes defended (26).

Head coach Buddy Ryan named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season, but paired him with Patrick Hunter following the departure of James Williams. On October 15, 1995, Williams recorded three solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and returned an interception by Gus Frerotte to wide receiver Michael Westbrook for a 28–yard touchdown as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 20–24. On December 9, 1995, Williams made six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Stan Humphries during a 25–28 loss at the San Diego Chargers. In Week 17, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (six solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass attempt thrown by Troy Aikman to wide receiver Michael Irvin and returned it 48–yards for a touchdown during a 37–13 loss against the Dallas Cowboys. On December 27, 1995, the Arizona Cardinals announced their decision to fire head coach Buddy Ryan after they finished the 1995 NFL season with a 4–12 record. He started all 16 games and made 62 combined tackles (52 solo), 22 pass deflections, six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and scored two touchdowns.

On February 26, 1996, the Arizona Cardinals re-signed Williams to a six–year, $17 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $6 million. The Cardinals had hired Vince Tobin earlier in the month to be the new head coach. Following the departures of Lorenzo Lynch and Patrick Hunter, Williams was projected to begin the season alongside Tito Paul. On August 27, 1996, the Cardinals claimed cornerback Ronnie Bradford off waivers after he was cut by the Denver Broncos. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and chose to start safety Brent Alexander alongside him as the No. 2 starting cornerback for the first two games. Defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis elected to promote Ronnie Bradford to the No. 2 starting cornerback beginning in Week 3.

On October 27, 1996, Williams made seven combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions thrown by Frank Reich as the Cardinals lost 31–21 against the New York Jets to give them their first win of the season after eight consecutive losses. On November 17, 1996, Williams made eight combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Dave Brown as the Cardinals defeated the New York Giants 23–31. The following week, he recorded seven combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, one interception, and had his first career sack on Ty Detmer for a six–yard loss during a 30–36 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. In Week 15, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and had two pass break-ups during a 6–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On December 22, 1996, Williams made two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had a pick-six on an interception he returned for a 65–yard touchdown that was thrown by Ty Detmer during a 19–29 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles. He started all 16 games for the fifth consecutive season and set a career-high with 77 combined tackles (65 solo) while also recording 18 pass deflections, six interceptions, one sack, and one touchdown.

The Arizona Cardinals selected cornerbacks Tom Knight in the first-round (9th overall) and Ty Howard in the third-round (84th overall) of the 1997 NFL draft following the departure of Ronnie Bradford. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with rookie Tom Knight.

On September 28, 1997, Williams recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and returned an interception by Trent Dilfer 42–yards for a touchdown during an 18–19 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In Week 7, Williams made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and had his second pick-six of the season after intercepting a pass by Danny Kanell to wide receiver Amani Toomer during a 27–13 loss against the New York Giants. The following week, he set a season-high with seven combined tackles (four solo) and made one pass deflection during a 10–13 overtime loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. In Week 16, he made two solo tackles, a pass deflection, and had his sixth interception of the season on a pass by Billy Joe Hobert to wide receiver Andre Hastings during a 10–24 loss at the New Orleans Saints. He started all 16 games and recorded 62 combined tackles (48 solo), 18 pass deflections, six interceptions, two touchdowns, and a forced fumble.

The Cardinals selected cornerback Corey Chavous in the second-round (33rd overall) of the 1998 NFL draft. Head coach Vince Tobin named Williams and Tom Knight the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 6, 1998, Williams started in the Cardinals' season-opener at the Dallas Cowboys and set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (10 solo) as they lost 10–38. In Week 4, Tom Knight suffered a hamstring injury and remained inactive for the next four games (Weeks 5–9) and was replaced by J. B. Brown. In Week 6, Williams made one tackle, a pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass Erik Kramer threw to wide receiver Curtis Conway as the Cardinals defeated the Chicago Bears 7–20. Defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis named Corey Chavous the No. 2 starting cornerback for the last five games of the season. He started all 16 games for the seventh consecutive season and recorded 70 combined tackles (52 solo), seven pass deflections, one sack, and made one interception.

The Arizona Cardinals finished the 1998 NFL season with a 9–7 record, marking the only time they had a winning record during Williams' entire 10–seasons. On January 2, 1999, Williams started in the first playoff game of his career and recorded two solo tackles and had a game–high two interceptions on passes thrown by Troy Aikman during a 20–7 victory at the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild-Card Game.[60] On January 10, 1999, Williams started in the Divisional Round at the Minnesota Vikings and recorded two solo tackles and intercepted a pass Randall Cunningham threw to Randy Moss as the Cardinals lost 21–41.

He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and was paired with Corey Chavous. On September 12, 1999, Williams started in the Arizona Cardinals' season-opener at the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded one solo tackle, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Doug Pederson threw to wide receiver Torrance Small as they won 25–24. The following week, he set a season-high with five solo tackles during a 16–19 loss at the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. On September 27, 1999, Williams and the Cardinals appeared on nationally televised Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. During the end of the second quarter, Williams unfortunately delivered the career-ending hit to Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young as he threw a pass. Williams came in freely unblocked on a blindside cornerback blitz on Young after running back Lawrence Phillips failed his assignment of picking up any incoming blitzes. At the same time, cornerback J. J. McCleskey blitzed on the broadside of Young, ran by guard Dave Fiore, and dove for a tackle as Young threw a pass, but would only hit Young's lower legs. With Aeneas Williams simultaneously hitting Young in the chest, the combined force would send Young falling backwards with the back of his head slamming into the turf and left Young unconscious on the field for several minutes. Young would not return after halftime and was replaced by Jeff Garcia as the 49ers defeated the Cardinals 24–10. Young suffered his fourth severe concussion from the impact in only three years and had continual symptoms of post-concussion syndrome that would immediately end his career and force his retirement. He started in all 16 games throughout the 1999 NFL season and recorded 55 combined tackles (50 solo), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

Head coach Vince Tobin retained Williams and Tom Knight as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On October 23, 2000, the Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Vince Tobin after starting with a 2–5 record and appointed defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. On November 5, 2000, Williams made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and interception, and returned a fumble that linebacker Mark Maddox forced by running back Stephen Davis 104–yards for a touchdown as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Redskins 15–16. His fumble recovery returned 104–yards for a touchdown tied Oakland Raiders' safety Jack Tatum (1972). In Week 15, he set a season-high with six solo tackles during a 10–44 loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars.[65] On December 24, 2000, Williams recorded six combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Brad Johnson during a 3–20 loss at the Washington Redskins. He started all 16 games throughout the 2000 NFL season and finished with 62 combined tackles (48 solo), 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one touchdown.

On February 22, 2001, the Arizona Cardinals designated their franchise tag to Williams as both parties were still unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The franchise tag was for a fully-guaranteed one–year, $4.18 million contract for the 2001 NFL season.

On April 21, 2001, the St. Louis Rams traded a second (54th overall) and fourth-round pick (121st overall) in the 2001 NFL draft to the Arizona Cardinals in return for Williams. The Rams acquired Williams to replace starting cornerback Todd Lyght after he signed with the Detroit Lions ten days earlier.

On April 25, 2001, the St. Louis Rams signed Williams to a three–year, $14.70 million contract extension that included $7.70 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $3.60 million.[6][69] He entered training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. Head coach Mike Martz named Williams and Dexter McCleon as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season, alongside nickelback Dre Bly.

On September 30, 2001, he set a season-high with eight combined tackles (seven solo) and made one fumble recovery during a 42–10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. On October 21, 2001, Williams made eight combined tackles (five solo), one pass deflection, and returned an interception on a pass by Vinny Testaverde 42–yards for a touchdown during a 34–14 victory at the New York Jets. In Week 9, he made one solo tackle, one pass deflection, and had his second pick-six of the season after intercepting a pass Matt Lytle threw to wide receiver Donald Hayes and returning it for a 16–yard touchdown during a 14–48 victory against the Carolina Panthers. In Week 13, Williams recorded four solo tackles, three pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Jeff Garcia to wide receivers Terrell Owens and Tai Streets as the Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers 14–27. He started all 16 games for the tenth consecutive season and made 73 combined tackles (56 solo), 18 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, four interceptions, and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

Due to roster concerns, Williams switched to free safety. As one of the leaders of a much-improved defense, Williams got a chance to play in the postseason for only the second time in his career. In the Rams' divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers prior to the Super Bowl, he 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' berth in Super Bowl XXXVI. However, the Rams lost that game to the New England Patriots.

On March 24, 2003, the St. Louis Rams signed Williams to a two–year, $6.50 million contract that includes a $1 million signing bonus.

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.

Although Williams only played on a playoff team four times in 14 years (three of which were with the Rams), he made the most of his postseason opportunities when they occurred, intercepting 6 passes and recovering one fumble in his first four playoff games.

Williams 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, he 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. He made his final appearance in a football videogame in NFL Street 2, which was released in 2004.

Williams is the founding pastor of The Spirit Church (formerly Spirit of the Lord Family Church), which began in 2007, located in St. Ann, a suburb of St. Louis. He and his wife, Tracy, have three daughters—Saenea, Tirzah, and Cheyenne—and a son, Lazarus.

Williams was a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame classes of 2012 and 2013 but did not get voted in on the final ballots both times. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 1, 2014, and inducted on August 2.

On September 24, 2014, Williams was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

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