The Story And Significance Of Brian Dawkins - The First Player In NFL History To Record At Least 30 Interceptions And 30 Forced Fumbles In A Career

Brian Patrick Dawkins Sr., nicknamed "Weapon X", is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers and was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 1996 NFL draft. In his last three seasons, he played for the Denver Broncos.

Regarded as one of the greatest safeties of all time, Dawkins was viewed as the leader of the Eagles defense, named to nine Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He also made an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX. In addition to his playing career, Dawkins served the Eagles as an executive of football operations for player development from 2016 to 2018 and was with the organization when they won Super Bowl LII. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

The Philadelphia Eagles selected Dawkins in the second round (61st overall) of the 1996 NFL draft. Dawkins was the fifth safety drafted in 1996. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Dawkins using a compensatory pick they received from the departure of Seth Joyner in free agency in 1994.

On July 16, 1996, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a four-year, $1.27 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $443,000.

Dawkins entered training camp slated as the backup free safety behind Eric Zomalt who earned the starting role after Greg Jackson departed in free agency. Head coach Ray Rhodes named Dawkins the backup free safety to start the regular season, behind Eric Zomalt.

He made his professional regular-season debut in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener at the Washington Redskins and made one tackle in their 17–14 victory. The following week, Dawkins earned his first career start and collected a season-high 11 combined tackles during a 39–13 loss at the Green Bay Packers in week 2. On September 18, 1996, head coach Ray Rhodes officially named Dawkins the starting free safety, alongside strong safety Mike Zordich, after he surpassed Eric Zomalt on the depth chart. Zomalt was subsequently released the following day. On September 22, 1996, Dawkins recorded four combined tackles and made his first career interception during a 33–18 win at the Atlanta Falcons in week 4. Dawkins made his first career interception off a pass by Falcons' backup quarterback Bobby Hebert, that was originally intended for wide receiver Bert Emanuel, and returned it for a 30-yard gain to seal the Eagles' victory in the fourth quarter. In week 5, he recorded eight combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made his first career sack in the Eagles' 23–19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Dawkins made his first career sack on Cowboys' quarterback Troy Aikman during the third quarter and also stripped the ball during the play. The ball was recovered by Dawkins' teammate Rhett Hall and returned for a 32-yard touchdown. He finished his rookie season in 1996 with 75 combined tackles, three interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 13 starts. The Philadelphia Eagles' defense ranked 21st in the league overall, but allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards (2,979 yards) in 1996.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished second in the NFC East with a 10–6 record and earned a wildcard berth. On December 29, 1996, Dawkins started in his first career playoff game and recorded six combined tackles as they lost 14–0 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Game.

Defensive coordinator Emmitt Thomas retained Dawkins and Mike Zordich as the starting safeties in 1997, along with cornerbacks Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor.

On September 28, 1997, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 28–19 loss at the Minnesota Vikings in week 5. Dawkins was inactive for a week 8 victory against the Arizona Cardinals due to an injury. On December 7, 1997, Dawkins recorded seven combined tackles and returned an interception for his first career touchdown during the Eagles' 32–21 loss to the New York Giants in week 15. Dawkins intercepted a pass by quarterback Danny Kanell, that was initially thrown to wide receiver Chris Calloway, and returned it for a 64-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He finished the 1997 season with 75 combined tackles, three interceptions, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. The Eagles' defense finished ranked 24th overall, but allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards (2,923 yards) in 1997.

Head coach Ray Rhodes elected to retain the starting secondary for the second consecutive season. On December 7, 1998, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles and forced a fumble during a 31–21 loss to the New York Giants in week 15. Dawkins was sidelined for two games (Weeks 7–9) due to an injury. Dawkins finished the 1998 season with 55 combined tackles, two interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 14 starts. On December 28, 1998, the Philadelphia Eagles fired head coach Ray Rhodes after they finished with a 3–13 record in 1998.

On July 16, 1999, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a three-year, $1.27 million contract.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Tim Hauck. In week 3, he made six combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made an interception during a 26–0 loss at the Buffalo Bills. Dawkins intercepted a pass by quarterback Doug Flutie, that was originally intended for wide receiver Peerless Price, in the second quarter. His performance was his third consecutive game with an interception. In week 9, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles in the Eagles' 33–7 loss at the Carolina Panthers. He finished the 1999 season with 73 combined tackles, six forced fumbles, four interceptions, 1.5 sacks, and a touchdown in 14 games and 14 starts. Dawkins flourished in his first season under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and was subsequently named to the 2000 Pro Bowl, marking the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

In week 11, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 26–23 victory at the Pittsburgh Steelers. The following week, he recorded seven combined tackles and made a season-high two sacks on Cardinals' quarterback Jake Plummer during the Eagles' 34–9 win at the Arizona Cardinals in week 12. Dawkins finished the 2000 season with a total of 75 combined tackles, four interceptions, two sacks, and a forced fumble in 13 games and 13 starts.

Head coach Andy Reid retained the core of the starting secondary as the starters, including Dawkins, Troy Vincent, and Bobby Taylor. Dawkins was paired with starting strong safety Damon Moore in 2001.

He started in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener against the St. Louis Rams and collected a season-high eight combined tackles and deflected three passes in their 20–17 loss. On December 9, 2001, Dawkins tied his season-high of eight combined tackles, broke up two passes, forced a fumble, and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown during the Eagles' 24–14 win against the San Diego Chargers in week 13. Dawkins forced a fumble by Chargers' running back LaDainian Tomlinson in the first quarter and recovered the ball before returning it for a 49-yard touchdown. On December 16, 2001, he made six solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by quarterback Tony Banks in the Eagles' 20–6 victory against the Washington Redskins in week 14. He finished the season with 68 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, 1.5 sacks, and a touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. The Philadelphia Eagles defense ranked second in the league in 2001 and the secondary continued to have success under position coaches Leslie Frazier and Steve Spagnuolo. The secondary allowed the second-fewest yards in the league (2,928 yards) and allowed the second-fewest touchdown passes (13). On January 3, 2002, Dawkins was one of five Philadelphia Eagles' players named to the 2002 Pro Bowl.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with an 11–5 record. Head coach Andy Reid opted to rest Dawkins for the Eagles' week 17 victory at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as they had already clinched a playoff berth. On January 12, 2002, Dawkins recorded two combined tackles, broke up two passes, and made an interception during a 31–9 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Game. The following week, they defeated the Chicago Bears 33–19 in the NFC Divisional Round. On January 27, 2002, Dawkins recorded six solo tackles and deflected a pass as the Eagles lost 29–24 at the St. Louis Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Blaine Bishop. The secondary also included returning cornerbacks Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, and Al Harris.

On September 29, 2002, Dawkins recorded six combined tackles, a sack, two pass deflections, an interception, forced a fumble, and caught his first career touchdown pass during a 35–17 victory against the Houston Texans in week 4. Dawkins' 57-yard touchdown reception came on a shuffle pass by running back Brian Mitchell during a fake punt in the third quarter. Dawkins became the first player in NFL history to make a sack, an interception, recover a fumble, and have a touchdown reception in a single game. In week 17, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles (seven solo) during a 10–7 loss at the New York Giants. Dawkins started all 16 games in 2002 and recorded 91 combined tackles (62 solo), nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles, three sacks, two interceptions, and one touchdown reception. Jimmy Johnson's defense continued to have moderate success and finished the season ranked second behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles' defense also ranked seventh in passing yards allowed (3,094 yards) and tied for seventh in passing touchdowns allowed (18). On January 14, 2003, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to play in the 2003 Pro Bowl. The Eagles' secondary had three players selected in 2003, including Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with a 12–4 record and earned a first-round bye. On January 11, 2003, Dawkins made four combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception during a 20–6 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Divisional Round. They were eliminated from the playoffs the following week after losing 27–10 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

On April 28, 2003, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Dawkins to a six-year, $43 million contract extension that included a signing bonus of $8 million. The contract extension was added to the one year Dawkins had remaining on his pre-existing contract.

Dawkins remained the starting free safety in 2003 and was coached by defensive backs coach Steve Spagnuolo and assistant defensive backs coach Sean McDermott. Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starter to begin the regular season, along with starting strong safety Michael Lewis and cornerbacks Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, and Lito Sheppard. He started in the Philadelphia Eagles' season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and collected a season-high nine combined tackles before exiting in the fourth quarter of their 17–0 loss due to a sprained ankle. His injury sidelined him for the next eight games (Weeks 2–10). Dawkins was also inactive for the Eagles' week 12 win against the New Orleans Saints due to a foot injury. He finished the 2003 season with 35 combined tackles (28 solo), five pass deflections, an interception, and was credited with half a sack in seven games and seven starts.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished atop their division with a 12–4 record. On January 11, 2004, Dawkins recorded eight solo tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception by Brett Favre for a 35-yard gain to set up a 31-yard field goal to help the Eagles win the NFC Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers 20–17. The following week, they lost to the Carolina Panthers 14–3 in the NFC Championship Game after Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb was intercepted three times by Panthers' safety Ricky Manning.

Dawkins and Michael Lewis returned as the starting safety duo and also played alongside cornerbacks Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown after Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor departed in free agency. On November 7, 2004, Dawkins collected a season-high nine solo tackles, broke up a pass, and made an interception during a 27–3 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers. In week 14, he made six combined tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception in the Eagles' 17–14 win at the Washington Redskins. His interception continued his streak of three consecutive games with an interception. On December 23, 2004, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to play in the 2005 Pro Bowl, along with Michael Lewis and Lito Sheppard. He finished the 2004 season with 69 combined tackles (64 solo), eight passes defensed, four interceptions, three sacks, and two forced fumbles in 15 games and 15 starts. Head coach Andy Reid elected to rest Dawkins for the Eagles' week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals as they had already clinched a playoff berth.

The Philadelphia Eagles finished first in the NFC East with a 13–3 record and earned a first-round bye. The Eagles reached the NFC Championship Game after losing and being eliminated from the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. On January 23, 2005, Dawkins made a tackle, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick during a 27–10 win against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. Dawkins played a key role and delivered a devastating hit on Falcons' tight end Alge Crumpler during the game. On February 6, 2005, Dawkins recorded five combined tackles as the Eagles lost 24–21 to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl. This became Dawkins' first and only Super Bowl appearance.

Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson retained the starting secondary in 2005. On December 11, 2005, Dawkins made four combined tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, a sack, and an interception in the Eagles' 26–23 loss to the New York Giants in week 14. In week 16, Dawkins collected a season-high eight combined tackles during a 27–21 loss at the Arizona Cardinals. He started in all 16 games in 2005 and recorded 77 combined tackles (66 solo), a career-high 19 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions.

On January 26, 2006, it was announced that Dawkins was named to the 2006 Pro Bowl as a late-replacement for Chicago Bears' safety Mike Brown who was inactive due to an injury.

Head coach Andy Reid elected to retain Dawkins and Michael Lewis as the starting safety duo, along with cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard in 2006. In week 6, Dawkins began playing alongside Sean Considine after he surpassed Michael Lewis on the depth chart and remained the starter for the rest of the season. On December 17, 2006, Dawkins collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (11 solo), two pass deflections, and an interception during a 36–22 win at the New York Giants in week 15. On December 20, 2006, Dawkins was named to the 2007 Pro Bowl. Dawkins started in all 16 games in 2006 and recorded 93 combined tackles (71 solo), nine pass deflections, five forced fumbles, four pass interceptions, and a sack.

Dawkins returned as the starting free safety in 2007, alongside strong safety Sean Considine. On September 17, 2007, he recorded four solo tackles and deflected a pass before exiting the Eagles' 20–12 loss to the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football due to an injury. Dawkins was sidelined for the next five games (Weeks 3–8) due to a neck injury he sustained against the Redskins. In week 10, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles and deflected a pass during a 33–25 victory at the Washington Redskins. He was also inactive for the Eagles' week 17 win against the Buffalo Bills. Dawkins finished the season with 37 combined tackles (28 solo), six pass deflections, and an interception in ten games and ten starts.

Head coach Andy Reid named Dawkins the starting free safety, alongside strong safety Quintin Mikell and cornerbacks Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel. In week 5, he collected a season-high eight solo tackles and a sack during a 23–17 loss to the Washington Redskins. His sack on Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell was the 20th sack of his career. He joined the 20/20 club after becoming the tenth player in NFL history to have 20 sacks and 20 interceptions in a career. His total at the time stood at 20 career sacks and 33 interceptions. He also broke fellow Jacksonville native and former Eagles' wide receiver Harold Carmichael's franchise record of 180 career games. He started in all 16 games in 2008 and recorded 75 combined tackles (64 solo), six pass deflections, three sacks, and an interception.

He is also a member of the 30/30 club of players who have at least 30 interceptions and 30 forced fumbles. He and Charles Tillman are the only players to record at least 35 of each. (Forced fumbles have only been a recorded stat since 1991.) He finished his career with the Eagles starting 182 of 183 games, recording 898 tackles, 34 interceptions, 32 forced fumbles, and 26 sacks.

On February 28, 2009, the Denver Broncos signed Dawkins to a five-year, $17 million contract that included $7.2 million guaranteed. He joined another teammate, Correll Buckhalter, who also signed with the Broncos. The contract also included a termination clause that permitted Dawkins to opt out of the contract after two years and receives an extra $1.8 million, virtually making the contract for two years and $9 million. Dawkins could have also earned an additional $10 million in performance incentives. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dawkins were discussing a possible two-year contract before Dawkins received interest from the Denver Broncos.

Head coach Josh McDaniels named Dawkins the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Renaldo Hill and cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman. In week 10, he collected a season-high 14 combined tackles (12 solo) during a 27–17 loss at the Washington Redskins. On December 13, 2009, Dawkins made ten combined tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted two pass attempts by quarterback Peyton Manning during the Broncos' 28–16 loss at the Indianapolis Colts in week 14. On December 27, 2009, Dawkins recorded eight combined tackles in his return to Lincoln Financial Field during a 30–27 loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in week 16. On December 29, 2009, it was announced that Dawkins was selected to the 2008 Pro Bowl. He started all 16 games in 2009 and recorded 116 combined tackles (95 solo), 11 pass deflections, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. Following the 2009 season, Dawkins was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team as a first team safety alongside Ed Reed; the second team safety group consisted of Darren Sharper and future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu.

On January 18, 2010, the Denver Broncos mutually parted ways with defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. They promoted linebackers coach Don Martindale to defensive coordinator. Head coach Josh McDaniels elected to retain the starting secondary in 2009. Dawkins was sidelined for two games (Weeks 6–7) due to a knee injury. He further aggravated his knee injury and was inactive for another three games (Weeks 13–15). On December 7, 2009, the Denver Broncos fired head coach Josh McDaniels after they fell to a 3–9 record. In week 16, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles and deflected a pass during a 24–23 win against the Houston Texans. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (55 solo), five pass deflections, two sacks, and an interception in 11 games and 11 starts.

Head coach John Fox named Dawkins the starting strong safety to begin the regular season, alongside free safety Rahim Moore. He started in the Denver Broncos' season-opener against the Oakland Raiders and collected a season-high nine combined tackles in their 23–20 loss. On October 23, 2011, Dawkins made five combined tackles and two sacks during an 18–15 win at the Miami Dolphins in week 7. He was sidelined for a game in week 15 and week 17 due to a reoccurring neck injury. He finished the season with 51 combined tackles (38 solo), six pass deflections, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 games and 12 starts. On January 19, 2012, it was announced that Dawkins would play in the 2012 Pro Bowl as a late injury replacement for Pittsburgh Steelers' safety Troy Polamalu.

After calling Fox on April 23, 2012, Dawkins announced via Twitter that he was retiring from the NFL. His reasoning was he wanted to retire while he was still healthy. He planned to stay in Colorado, and wanted to begin coaching high school football that fall.

On April 28, 2012, Dawkins alongside Jeffrey Lurie announced that he would sign a one-day contract, and retire as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles retired Dawkins' number 20 in a ceremony at half-time of their September 30 game against the New York Giants. The Eagles have retired only nine players' jerseys in franchise history, which goes back more than 80 years.

On February 4, 2018, it was announced that Dawkins was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was one of five players selected. Dawkins joined Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Ray Lewis, and former Eagles teammate Terrell Owens.

On August 4, 2018, Dawkins was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and attended the ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He was the first former Clemson player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Over the span of his career, Dawkins developed a reputation as a ball-hawking safety and became the unquestioned leader of the Philadelphia Eagles' defense. He earned the nickname "Weapon X," a codename of Marvel character Wolverine, the comic book superhero known for relentless aggression. He emerged as one of the top safeties in the league and was a defensive captain for the majority of his stints with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. Dawkins is considered to be one of the top safeties in NFL history and was ranked as the fifth best safety in NFL history by NFL analyst Gil Brandt.

As a captain and unquestioned leader, Dawkins has acted as a mentor to multiple players early in their career, including Al Harris, Chris Harris Jr., Jason Avant, and Quintin Mikell. Chris Harris Jr. credits Dawkins and Champ Bailey for urging the Denver Broncos' coaching staff to play him as an undrafted rookie after he showed promise and performed well in practice squad.

On September 5, 2012, it was announced that Dawkins was hired as an NFL studio analyst by ESPN.

On July 30, 2016, Dawkins returned to the Eagles to take a role on the team's scouting staff. On August 17, 2016, Dawkins was given the new role of Football Operations Executive to assist with player development.

On May 22, 2018, Dawkins resigned as Football Operations Executive to seek other opportunities.

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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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The Story And Significance Of Rod Woodson -Holds The NFL Record For Fumble Recoveries By A Defensive Player and Interceptions Returned For A Touchdown

Roderick Kevin Woodson  is an American former professional football player for 17 seasons in the National Football League. Widely considered one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for a touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

Woodson played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers, earning consensus All-American honors in 1986. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft and played his first 10 years there. He was also a key member of the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team. He had two shorter stints for the San Francisco 49ers and two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. His 71 career interceptions are the third-most in NFL history. He was an inductee of the Class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 8, 2009. Woodson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He played most of his career as a cornerback then switched to safety during the later part of his career. Woodson was most recently the head coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers.

From his retirement in 2003 to February 2011, Woodson worked as an analyst for the NFL Network (on NFL Total Access and Thursday Night Football) and for the Big Ten Network. He spent the 2011 season as the Raiders' cornerbacks coach. He then returned to broadcasting, working for Westwood One as an analyst on college football (2012) and the NFL (2013) before resuming his coaching career in 2014. He was announced in July 2022 as the Ravens' new radio color commentator beginning with the upcoming season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Woodson in the first round (10th overall) of the 1987 NFL draft. Although the Steelers wanted to draft Woodson to help rebuild their secondary, the team expected Woodson to be drafted before their turn at tenth overall. Head coach Chuck Noll instructed defensive coordinator Tony Dungy not to bother with a scouting report on Woodson due to his expected unavailability. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to draft Woodson after the Cleveland Browns traded for the San Diego Chargers' fifth overall pick and subsequently used selection to draft linebacker Mike Junkin.[14] The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Kelly Stouffer (sixth overall) who ultimately never played for the Cardinals due to a contract dispute. The Buffalo Bills were the last likely team to draft Woodson, but instead used the eighth overall pick to draft linebacker Shane Conlan.

Woodson missed training camp due to a contract holdout that lasted 95 days after he was unable to come to terms on a contract with the Steelers. Woodson was a World-Class 110-meter hurdler and ran track on the European track circuit during his contract holdout. Woodson had the fourth fastest 110-meter hurdle time in the world. He won the bronze medal at the 1987 USA Olympic festival, and won medals in several IAAF Grand Prix meetings in Europe. Woodson is one of only two athletes in history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and also earn a world ranking in the high hurdles.

On October 28, 1987, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Woodson to a four-year, $1.80 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $700,000. Woodson's contract holdout was the longest in the Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise history, until Le'Veon Bell withheld the entire 2018 NFL season.

On November 8, 1987, Woodson made his professional regular season debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 17–16 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He finished his debut with two kick returns for 48-yards and two punt returns for 12-yards. On November 22, 1987, Woodson made his first career interception off a pass from Bengals' quarterback Boomer Esiason and returned it for a 45-yard touchdown during the Steelers' 30–16 win in Week 11. It was his first career touchdown. He finished his rookie season in 1987 with 20 combined tackles in eight games and no starts. Woodson also returned 13 kicks for 290-yards (22.3 YPR) and made 16 punt returns for 135-yards (8.4 YPR).

Woodson entered training camp in 1988 slated as the starting cornerback. Head coach Chuck Noll named Woodson a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, opposite fellow cornerback Dwayne Woodruff. Woodson also retained kick and punt return duties in 1988. On October 9, 1988, Woodson returned a kick for a 92-yard touchdown during a 31–14 loss to the Phoenix Cardinals in Week 6. The touchdown was the first kick return touchdown of his career. In Week 12, Woodson made his first career sack on Browns' quarterback Bernie Kosar in the Steelers' 27–7 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1988 and recorded 88 combined tackles, four interceptions, and was credited with half a sack. He also returned 37 kicks for 850-yards and a touchdown (22.9 YPR) and 33 punts for 281-yards (8.5 YPR).

On January 3, 1989, Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive coordinator Tony Dungy announced his resignation after they finished with a 5–11 record the previous season. The Steelers also fired four assistant coaches.

Woodson and Dwayne Woodruff returned as the Steelers' starting cornerback tandem in 1989. On November 19, 1989, Woodson returned a kickoff for an 84-yard touchdown during a 20–17 win against the San Diego Chargers. Woodson started 15 games in 1989 and recorded 80 combined tackles and three interceptions. He also returned 36 kickoffs for 982-yards (27.2 YPR) and one touchdown and had 29 punt returns for 207-yards (7.1 YPR). The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season third in the AFC Central with a 9–7 record and earned a wildcard berth. On December 31, 1989, Woodson started in his first career playoff game and had four kick returns for 74-yards during a 26–23 victory at the Houston Oilers in the AFC Wildcard Game. The following week, the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs after losing 24–23 to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round.

The Pittsburgh Steelers promoted linebackers coach Dave Brazil to defensive coordinator after Rod Rust accepted the head coaching position with the New England Patriots. Head coach Chuck Noll retained Woodson as a starting cornerback in 1990, opposite D.J. Johnson.

On September 16, 1990, Woodson returned a punt from Oilers' punter Greg Montgomery for a 52-yard touchdown during a 20–9 victory against the Houston Oilers, marking the first punt return for a touchdown in his career. On December 6, 1990, the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly offered Woodson a three-year, $3 million contract extension. That contract would make Woodson the highest paid player in team history. On December 20, 1990, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 1991 Pro Bowl. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1990 and recorded 66 combined tackles and five interceptions. He was voted first-team All-Pro in 1990. Woodson had 35 kick returns for 764 return yards (21.8 YPR) and 38 punt returns for 398 return yards and a touchdown (10.4 YPR).

Woodson and D.J. Johnson returned as the starting cornerback tandem in 1991. Woodson was inactive for the Steelers' Week 13 victory against the Houston Oilers due to an injury. On November 28, 1991, Woodson recorded his first career solo sack on Cowboys' quarterback Steve Beuerlein in the Steelers' 20–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On December 27, 1991, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Chuck Noll announced his decision to retire after the Steelers finished with a 7–9 record in 1991. He started in 15 games in 1991 and recorded 73 combined tackles, 3 interceptions, and a sack. He also returned 44 kicks for 880 return yards (22.0 YPR) and had 28 punt returns for 320-yards (11.4 YPR).

On January 21, 1992, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the hiring of former Kansas City Chiefs' defensive coordinator Bill Cowher as their new head coach. On January 31, 1992, Cowher announced the hiring of former New Orleans Saints' secondary coach Dom Capers as their new defensive coordinator.

On May 19, 1992, it was reported that Woodson was one of nine NFL players to sue the National Football League for unrestricted free agency. Other players included Steve Beuerlein (Cowboys), Bobby Hebert (Saints), D. J. Dozier (Lions), Scott Mitchell (Dolphins), Jeff Dellenbach (Dolphins), Seth Joyner (Eagles), Clyde Simmons (Eagles), and Kevin Ross (Chiefs). Head coach Bill Cowher retained Woodson and D.J. Johnson as the starting cornerback tandem in 1992.

He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener against the Houston Oilers and made two interceptions off pass attempts by Oilers' quarterback Warren Moon in their 29–24 victory. On October 25, 1992, Woodson returned a punt for an 80-yard touchdown as the Steelers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27–3. On November 1, 1992, Woodson delivered a hit to Oilers' quarterback Warren Moon on a cornerback blitz during a 21–20 win against the Houston Oilers in Week 8. The hit gave Moon a concussion and forced him to leave the game. In Week 14, he made a career-high two sacks on Bears' quarterback Jim Harbaugh during a 30–6 loss to the Chicago Bears. On December 24, 1992, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 1993 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games in 1992 and recorded 100 combined tackles, a career-high six sacks, and four interceptions.

On March 1, 1993, the NFL implemented unrestricted free agency. Woodson received an $1.11 million settlement from the league after being one of 15 plaintiffs to sue the league in a class action antitrust lawsuit.

Woodson and D.J. Johnson returned as the starting cornerback tandem for the fourth consecutive season and started alongside safeties Darren Perry and Carnell Lake. He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener at the San Francisco 49ers and intercepted two passes by quarterback Steve Young in their 24–13 victory.

On September 18, 1993, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Woodson to a four-year, $12 million contract. The contract made Woodson the NFL's highest paid defensive back. In Week 4, he made two interceptions off passes by Falcons' quarterbacks Bobby Hebert and Billy Joe Tolliver during a 45–17 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. On October 17, 1993, Woodson intercepted two passes by Saints' quarterback Wade Wilson and returned one for a 63-yard touchdown in the Steelers' 37–14 win against the New Orleans Saints. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1993 and recorded 95 combined tackles, a career-high eight interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown. He also made 15 kick returns for 294 return yards (19.6 YPR) and 42 punt returns for 338 return yards (8.0 YPR). He was also named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Woodson returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback in 1994, opposite Deon Figures. He played under defensive coordinator Dom Capers and assistant coaches Dick LeBeau and Marvin Lewis. On November 14, 1994, Woodson intercepted pass by Bills' quarterback Jim Kelly and returned it for a 37-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Steelers' 23–10 win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11. Woodson started in 15 games in 1994 and recorded 67 tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, and a touchdown. He also made 15 kick returns for a total of 365 return yards (24.3 YPR) and 39 punt returns for 319 return yards (8.1 YPR).

On January 26, 1995, the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted defensive backs coach Dick LeBeau to defensive coordinator after Dom Capers accepted the head coaching position with the Carolina Panthers.

Woodson started as the No.1 cornerback to begin the 1995 regular season, alongside Willie Williams. On September 3, 1995, Woodson sustained a torn ACL when his foot got caught in the artificial turf at Three Rivers Stadium when he attempted to change direction and arm tackle Detroit Lions' running back Barry Sanders in the first quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opening 23–20 victory against the Detroit Lions. Steelers' safety Carnell Lake replaced Woodson at cornerback during his injury hiatus. On September 11, 1995, Woodson underwent reconstructive surgery and had his ACL in his left knee replaced with a patella tendon from his right knee.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC Central with an 11–5 record and earned a first round bye. They defeated the Buffalo Bills 40–21 in the AFC Divisional Round and defeated the Indianapolis Colts 20–16 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 28, 1996, Woodson made his return from injury and played in Super Bowl XXX as the Steelers lost 27–17 to the Dallas Cowboys. Woodson became the first player to return from reconstructive knee surgery in the same season and returned after only 19 weeks. Woodson was limited to 12 snaps in Super Bowl XXX and was primarily used on third down. During the game, he broke up a pass intended for Michael Irvin and immediately hopped up and pointed at his reconstructed knee.

On August 12, 1996, Woodson declined the Pittsburgh Steelers' three-year, $9 million contract extension offer and requested a long-term contract for four or five-years. They went on to offer Woodson a five-year, $10 million contract extension and a five-year, $13.5 million incentive-laden contract with a signing bonus of $500,000 included. Woodson returned as the starting cornerback alongside Willie Williams, but was relieved of kick and punt return duties.

He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars and collected a season-high eight combined tackles and made an interception in their 24–9 loss. On September 8, 1996, Woodson recorded five combined tackles and returned an interception by Ravens' quarterback Vinny Testaverde 43 yards for a touchdown during a 31–17 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. In Week 11, Woodson recorded five combined tackles and made a season-high two interceptions off pass attempts by Bengals' quarterback Jeff Blake during a 34–24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He started in all 16 games in 1996 and recorded 71 combined tackles, six interceptions, a touchdown, and a sack.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished atop the AFC Central with a 10–6 record. On January 5, 1997, Woodson recorded seven combined tackles in his last appearance as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went on to lose 28–3 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.

After the 1996 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers offered Woodson a four-year, $7.2 million contract with a signing bonus of $1 million. Woodson became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 after he was unable to agree to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Woodson was plagued by injuries in 1996, including a strained Achilles tendon, a sprained knee, and an injury to his back that substantially hurt his value on the free agent market. On April 19, 1997, Woodson declined a four-year, $7 million contract offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers hours before the 1997 NFL Draft. The Steelers subsequently drafted Maryland cornerback Chad Scott in the first round (24th overall) of the 1997 NFL draft and ended negotiations with Woodson.

During the offseason, Woodson held a workout at Purdue that was attended by ten teams interested in signing him, including the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Cincinnati Bengals offered Woodson a three-year contract reportedly worth between $1.5 million and $2 million per season.

On July 17, 1997, the San Francisco 49ers signed Woodson to a three-year contract. Head coach Steve Mariucci named Woodson a starting cornerback on the 49ers' depth chart to begin the regular season, opposite Darnell Walker. On September 14, 1997, Woodson recorded two combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made a career-high three interceptions off passes by Saints' quarterback Danny Wuerffel during a 33–7 victory against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. In Week 10, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles in the 49ers' 17–10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. He started in all 16 games in 1997 and recorded 46 combined tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.

The San Francisco 49ers finished first in the NFC West with a 13–3 record and earned a first round bye. They defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38–22 in the NFC Divisional Round. The following week, Woodson made four combined tackles as the 49ers were defeated by the Green Bay Packers 23–10. On February 9, 1998, the San Francisco 49ers cut Woodson and former Steelers' teammate Kevin Greene in an effort to free up salary cap space.

On February 21, 1998, the Baltimore Ravens signed Woodson to a three-year, $5.70 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $3 million. Woodson was reunited with Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis who was a linebacker coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Head coach Ted Marchibroda named Woodson a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, alongside Duane Starks. On September 4, 1998, it was reported that Woodson entered stage 1 of the league's substance abuse program after refusing to take a drug test the previous month. It was reported that Woodson became infuriated after he was randomly selected to take a drug test on two consecutive days. His refusal automatically counted as a failed test although he subsequently relented and passed the test the next day.

On September 13, 1998, Woodson recorded a season-high 11 combined tackles, made two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during a 24–10 win at the New York Jets in Week 2. Woodson intercepted a pass by Jets' quarterback Glenn Foley, that was intended for wide receiver Dedric Ward, and returned it for a 60-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. On November 8, 1998, Woodson made five combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown during the Ravens' 13–10 win against the Oakland Raiders. Woodson intercepted a pass by Raiders' quarterback Donald Hollas, that was intended for wide receiver Tim Brown, and returned it for an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He started in all 16 games in 1998 and recorded 88 combined tackles, six interceptions, and two touchdowns. On December 28, 1998, the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach Ted Marchibroda after the Ravens finished the season with a 6–10 record.

On January 19, 1999, the Baltimore Ravens hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Brian Billick as their new head coach. Billick retained Marvin Lewis as the Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator and hired Mike Smith, Jack Del Rio, and Rex Ryan as defensive position coaches. Defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis opted to move Woodson to free safety after the Baltimore Ravens drafted cornerback Chris McAlister in the first round (10th overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. Woodson was named the starting free safety and was used to make checks in coverage and help stabilize a young secondary that also included cornerbacks Duane Starks and strong safety Kim Herring.

On November 7, 1999, Woodson recorded two combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown during a 41–9 win at the Cleveland Browns. Woodson intercepted a pass by Browns' backup quarterback Ty Detmer and returned it for a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In Week 11, he made four combined tackles and made his 50th career interception off a pass by Bengals' quarterback Jeff Blake during a 34–31 victory at the Cincinnati Bengals. On December 5, 1999, Woodson made eight combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Ravens' 41–14 win against the Tennessee Titans. Woodson intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for wide receiver Kevin Dyson, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In Week 14, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 31–24 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started in all 16 games in 1999 and recorded 66 combined tackles, seven interceptions, and two touchdowns.

Woodson and Kim Herring returned as the starting safety tandem in 2000. Woodson became the veteran presence and a mentor to a young secondary. In Week 6, he made three tackles and an interception during a 15–10 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars. It became his third consecutive game with an interception. In Week 17, he collected a season-high 11 combined tackles and forced a fumble in the Ravens' 34–20 win against the New York Jets. On December 14, 2000, Woodson was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking the 10th Pro Bowl selection of his career. Woodson started in all 16 games in 2000 and recorded 74 combined tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

The Baltimore Ravens finished second in the AFC Central with a 12–4 record and defeated the Denver Broncos 21–3 in the AFC Wild Card Round. On January 7, 2001, Woodson recorded 11 combined tackles in the Ravens' 24–10 win at the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Round. The following week, the Ravens went on to defeat the Oakland Raiders 16–3 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 28, 2001, Woodson recorded six combined tackles as the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV.

On March 1, 2001, Woodson was one of seven players released by the Baltimore Ravens. He became an unrestricted free agent after the Baltimore Ravens declined an option to retain him. On May 7, 2001, the Baltimore Ravens signed Woodson to a five-year contract. Head coach Brian Billick retained Woodson as the starting free safety. Woodson started alongside strong safety Corey Harris in 2001.

In Week 4, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles and made an interception during a 26–7 win against the Tennessee Titans. On December 2, 2001, Woodson made two combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Ravens' 39–27 win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12. Woodson intercepted a pass by Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning, that was intended for wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He started in all 16 games in 2001 and recorded 74 combined tackles, three interceptions, forced a fumble, and scored a touchdown. The Baltimore Ravens finished second in their division with a 10–6 record, but were eliminated from the playoffs after a 27–10 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Round. Woodson finished the game with ten combined tackles (eight solo) and a pass deflection against his former team.

On February 29, 2002, the Baltimore Ravens released Woodson in a salary cap related maneuver.

On May 1, 2002, the Oakland Raiders signed Woodson to a six-year contract. Head coach Bill Callahan named Woodson the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Derrick Gibson.

On September 28, 2002, Woodson recorded four combined tackles, made a career-high three interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown in the Raiders' 52–25 win against the Tennessee Titans. He intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for tight end Frank Wycheck, and returned it for an 82-yard touchdown in the third quarter. On November 11, 2002, Woodson recorded four combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception for the final touchdown of his career in the Raiders' 34–10 win at the Denver Broncos in Week 9. Woodson intercepted a pass by Broncos' quarterback Brian Griese, that was originally intended for running back Clinton Portis, and returned it for a 98-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He started in all 16 games in 2002 and recorded 82 combined tackles (70 solo), a career-high eight interceptions, seven pass deflections, and two touchdowns. On January 2, 2002, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 2002 Pro Bowl.

The Oakland Raiders finished first in the AFC West with an 11–5 record and earned a first round bye. They reached Super Bowl XXXVII after defeating the New York Jets 30–10 in the AFC Divisional Round and defeating the Tennessee Titans 41–24 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 26, 2003, Woodson recorded eight combined tackles and deflected a pass as the Raiders lost Super Bowl XXXVII 48–21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Woodson and Derrick Gibson returned as the starting safety duo in 2003. In Week 3, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 31–10 loss at the Denver Broncos. On November 16, 2003, Woodson made five combined tackles, deflected two passes, and made the last interception of his career during a 28–18 win against the Minnesota Vikings. His final interception came off a pass by Vikings' quarterback Daunte Culpepper. On November 26, 2003, the Oakland Raiders placed Woodson on injured reserve due to a chronic injury to his left knee. He underwent surgery the following month. Woodson finished the season with 51 combined tackles (40 solo), two interceptions, and a pass deflection in ten games and ten starts.

On July 28, 2004, the Oakland Raiders released Woodson after he failed a physical after undergoing knee surgery.

Woodson is among the NFL's all-time leaders in games played as a defensive back. In his 17 NFL seasons, Woodson recorded 71 interceptions, 1,483 interception return yards, 32 fumble recoveries (15 offensive and 17 defensive), 137 fumble return yards, 4,894 kickoff return yards, 2,362 punt return yards, and 17 touchdowns (12 interception returns, 1 fumble return, 2 kickoff returns, 2 punt returns). He holds the league record for interceptions returned for touchdown with 12, and is tied with 11 other players for the record for most fumble recoveries in a single game (3). His 1,483 interception return yards is the second most in NFL history (Ed Reed has 1,590 yards). His 32 fumble recoveries are a record among defensive players. His 71 interceptions rank third all time.

Woodson was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, a record for his position. He was also the first player to earn trips to the Pro Bowl at cornerback, safety and kick returner. He was named 1993's NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was also a 7-time All-Pro selection. Woodson finished second to Darrell Green in the 1988 NFL Fastest Man Contest.

In 1994, he was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, one of only five active players to be named to the team. The others were Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Reggie White and Ronnie Lott. In 1999, he was ranked number 87 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. The College Football News also honored him as one of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century.

In 2007, he was ranked number 22 on USA Today list of the 25 best NFL players of the past 25 years.

On January 31, 2009, Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Woodson named his friend and business associate Tracy Foster as his presenter. Foster runs Woodson's car dealership in Pittsburgh.

Woodson coached the defense at Valley Christian Senior High in Dublin, California along with former Raider John Parrella. He was also the head coach of the women's Varsity Basketball team.

The Raiders hired Woodson as their cornerbacks coach on February 14, 2011. He (along with most of Hue Jackson's Raiders staff) was not retained following the 2011 season. On June 12, 2013, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that Woodson would be serving as an intern coach. On February 9, 2015, it was announced that Woodson would be returning to the Raiders as an assistant defensive backs coach under head coach Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson. On March 9, 2017, following Robertson's firing earlier that offseason, Woodson was promoted back to cornerbacks coach alongside new safeties coach Brent Vieselmeyer. Woodson was fired following the 2017 season, after Jon Gruden was hired as head coach.

On April 13, 2022, Woodson was announced as one of the eight head coaches for the 2023 season of the XFL. Later on, it was revealed that he would coach the relocated Vegas Vipers. After a 2–8 season in 2023, the Vipers and Woodson agreed to part ways on June 11, 2023.

Woodson was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was the youngest of three siblings, with whom he had close relationships. His father, the late James Woodson, was African American, and his mother, Linda Jo Doerflein, was of German descent. His father was a laborer from Tennessee and his mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne. Woodson attended R. Nelson Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His parents married in 1960 and had three sons, Joe, Jamie, and Rod. Woodson was raised in a two-story home in a predominantly black neighborhood. His family experienced harassment through his youth due to their mixed-race.

From 1994 until 2008 Woodson held an annual youth football camp and activities, the Rod Woodson Youth Week, on the grounds of his former high school. This week-long camp featured current and former NFL players mentoring kids on football skills and the importance of education. There was a cheer camp, basketball game, and concert. Woodson funded the majority of the week that also provided academic awards for camp goers and saw hundreds of kids throughout its existence. Woodson was also an outspoken Christian.

Woodson used to split his time between NFL Network studios in Los Angeles, his home in Pleasanton, and a cottage in Coldwater, Michigan. He was also part of the studio team for BBC Sport's NFL coverage in 2007, including Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLIII. In February 2011, he accepted the role as the defensive backs coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders (his former team).

He played defensive back and a variety of offensive skill positions and was named Parade and USA Today All-American, all-state his junior and senior seasons. Woodson was named Indiana "Mr. Football" in 1982. In addition to football, he won both the high and low hurdles state championships in both his junior and senior seasons; and played varsity basketball his junior and senior seasons, making all-conference his senior year.

Woodson resides in Pleasanton, California with his wife, Nikki, whom he married in 1992. The couple have five children; two sons and three daughters.

On April 25, 1988, it was reported that Woodson was one of three men arrested for stealing $70 in a tip jar from McCaw's restaurant-bar in West Lafayette, Indiana. Charges were not filed.

On September 23, 1988, Woodson and teammate Delton Hall were involved in a bar fight with another man in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Police were called to Sessions Bar at 2:34AM due to a fight involving Woodson, Hall, and a man identified as Derrick Wilson. Hall stated the fight began over criticism about football. The rear window of Wilson's vehicle was broken during the altercation, but Woodson agreed to pay for damages. On September 29, 1988, the Pittsburgh Steelers stated both players had been privately reprimanded for their involvement.

On June 13, 1989, Woodson was charged with misdemeanor battery on a police officer after an altercation outside of a bar in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

On May 19, 1992, Woodson was arrested in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana for battery due to an altercation with his brother, Jamie Woodson. On March 24, 1993, Woodson was found not guilty of battery by a jury.

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 The Class of 2009 presenters

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