AGE: 48. CLAIM TO FAME: Tampa Bay selected Williams with the 17th overall pick in the 1978 draft. He led the Bucs to the NFC Championship Game in 1979 after a 10-6 regular season. Tampa Bay also reached the playoffs in 1981 and '82. Williams attended high school in Zachary, La., and became the star quarterback. He was recruited to Grambling by legendary coach Eddie Robinson and became a record-setting QB for the Tigers.
He earned his first start during the fifth game of his freshman season and led Grambling to a 21-7 victory over Tennessee State. Behind Williams, the Tigers claimed National Black College championships in 1974 and '75. Williams led Grambling to another championship as a senior, when he passed for 3,286 yards and 38 touchdowns.
After college, it didn't take Williams long to establish himself as the game's most prominent black quarterback. He was a popular Bucs player but became embroiled in a contract dispute with then-owner Hugh Culverhouse and signed with the USFL's Oklahoma Outlaws in 1983. He returned to the NFL in 1986 with Washington. A year later Williams was the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXII, becoming the first starting black quarterback to win a championship.
Williams returned to Grambling as coach, replacing Robinson after the 1997 season. His overall record as a college coach, including a season at Morehouse, is 55-26.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "As a minority, it was nice to see someone of my own race excel. It brought a sense of pride (to the area's black community)."
- former Plant football coach Darlee Nelson, a longtime Tampa resident.
DID YOU KNOW?: In 1977, Williams was fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy, claimed by Texas legend Earl Campbell. WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Williams was hired last week to work in the Bucs personnel department.
WORDS TO LIVE BY: "There are so many things you can live by, but I always say, "It could be worse.' A lot of times people complain about what they don't have and I say, "Hey, look around, it could be worse."'
