Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Doug Williams to join Bucs front office

Former QB will leave coaching job at Grambling State for an unspecified position with first NFL team.

TAMPA - Doug Williams is returning to the Bucs.

One of the most beloved players in franchise history, Williams apparently has decided to leave his job as coach of Grambling State University after six seasons to take an unspecified position in the Bucs front office.

The team has called a 1 p.m. news conference today at One Buc Place for what officials termed "a major front office announcement."

Williams, 48, likely will be involved in player personnel, assisting general manager Bruce Allen and coach Jon Gruden.

Williams met with Allen at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston two weeks ago and discussed the opportunity to return to the Bucs.

A first-round draft pick by Tampa Bay out of Grambling in 1978, Williams led the Bucs to the NFC Championship Game in 1979, the franchise's fourth season, when it finished the regular season 10-6. It also reached the playoffs in 1981 and '82.

But after the '82 season, Williams became embroiled in a contract dispute with then-owner Hugh Culverhouse and signed with the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws in '83.

Williams returned to the NFL in 1986 after the Bucs traded his rights to Washington. A year later, he was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXII when he led the Redskins to a 42-10 victory over Denver, becoming the first black quarterback to win an NFL title. He retired after the '89 season because of a back injury.

Despite his popularity, Williams became estranged from the Bucs franchise until 1997, when then-coach Tony Dungy invited him to be a guest on the sideline during a game.

Williams returned to his alma mater in 1997 to replace legendary coach Eddie Robinson, becoming the second coach in school history. His impact on the program was immediate as the Tigers improved steadily until Grambling won three straight Southwestern Athletic Conference titles beginning in 2000, averaging 10 wins. Williams was named the SWAC coach of the year all three seasons. Last seasons, the Tigers were 9-3.

Before returning to Grambling, Williams coached at Morehouse College. His overall record as a college coach is 55-26.

- Staff writers Joanne Korth and David Whitehead contributed to this report.