Roland Williams
Encyclopedia
Roland Lamar Williams (born April 27, 1975), is a retired American football
tight end
from the Syracuse. An 8-year NFL veteran, Roland has enjoyed great success on the field and off. Roland was selected in the 1998 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. A multi-year starter, Roland went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV
in the thrilling Rams victory over the Tennessee Titans
. Following his Super Bowl victory, Roland played three years for the Oakland Raiders
, where he won the American Football Conference Championship. In 2003, Roland played one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In unique fashion, Roland returned to play another season with the Oakland Raiders
and then the subsequent season with the St. Louis Rams before a career ending knee injury sidelined him in 2006. Known throughout his career as a premier blocking tight end in the NFL, it's Roland’s persona that has labeled him as one of the most positive and energetic athletes in professional sports.
In 1999, Roland founded Youth Lifeline America, a charitable organization that partners with athletes, entertainers and executives to harness the powerful influence of sports and entertainment to provide free educational training to at-risk youth across the nation. Roland has received many awards for his charitable efforts including the prestigious NFL Unsung Hero Award, 2-time Oakland Raiders Man of the Year Award, the Press Radio Club Pro Athlete of the Year Award and multi-year finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. In 2008, he coached a studious high school student aiming to become a football player on the MTV
show "Made." He is currently a studio analyst for College Football on Versus
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
from the Syracuse. An 8-year NFL veteran, Roland has enjoyed great success on the field and off. Roland was selected in the 1998 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. A multi-year starter, Roland went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
in the thrilling Rams victory over the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Following his Super Bowl victory, Roland played three years for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, where he won the American Football Conference Championship. In 2003, Roland played one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In unique fashion, Roland returned to play another season with the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and then the subsequent season with the St. Louis Rams before a career ending knee injury sidelined him in 2006. Known throughout his career as a premier blocking tight end in the NFL, it's Roland’s persona that has labeled him as one of the most positive and energetic athletes in professional sports.
In 1999, Roland founded Youth Lifeline America, a charitable organization that partners with athletes, entertainers and executives to harness the powerful influence of sports and entertainment to provide free educational training to at-risk youth across the nation. Roland has received many awards for his charitable efforts including the prestigious NFL Unsung Hero Award, 2-time Oakland Raiders Man of the Year Award, the Press Radio Club Pro Athlete of the Year Award and multi-year finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. In 2008, he coached a studious high school student aiming to become a football player on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
show "Made." He is currently a studio analyst for College Football on Versus
College Football on Versus
The television channel Versus currently aired college football games from various college football conferences. At the time this program began, the channel was known as OLN but, in 2006, it was renamed Versus...
.