Roosevelt Williams (gridiron football)
Encyclopedia
Roosevelt "Roe" Williams, Jr. (born September 10, 1978 in Jacksonville, Florida
) is a former American football
cornerback
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
in the third round of the [2002 NFL Draft]:72nd overall. He received an football scholarship to Florida State University
due to being academically ineligible he attended Tuskegee University
.
were neighbors. Roosevelt decided to attend Terry Parker High School that is 15 miles from his neighborhood; Williams felt the transition would keep him focus and out of trouble. At Terry Parker High School he lettered in football, basketball and track.
he was considered one the top five cornerbacks in the nation for the NFL draft. He was also arguably considered the best collegiate defender in the state of Alabama in 2002.He played college football
at Tuskegee in which he is considered the best cover cornerback to wear the crimson and old gold. Williams collegiate success of being drafted from a small division II have paid the way for current and former NFL players Drayton Florence
, Frank Walker (American football), Dimitri Patterson
and Harry Williams (American football) who was drafted a year(s) after him. Williams made All-American and first team SIAC all of his four years at a historical black university.
. The pick used was obtained by the Bears from the Dallas Cowboys
. Due to an nagging ankle injury he suffered in training camp, Williams played 7 games in his rookie season starting in three. Week 13 Chicago missed a big opportunity on the last play of the half. Packers QB Brett Favre
threw a hail mary pass at the end of the half that was intercepted by Bears SS Damon Moore
. Moore fumbled the ball to Packers lineman Mike Wahle
, who subsequently fumbled it again to the Bears' Roosevelt Williams
. Packers rookie receiver Javon Walker
chased Williams down and tackled him short of the end zone to end the half. Bears CB R.W. McQuarters had a chance to make the block but attempted to position himself for a lateral instead, allowing Walker to make the tackle at the 11 yard line to end the first half. The wild play made headlines in the Chicago daily news, ESPN
, and the Pardon the Interruption
show when sports columnist Michael Wilbon
criticized R.W. McQuarters for such a selfish act that caused Williams not to score.
Week 14 Williams made his first start against the AFC champions the New York Jets
and was the player of the game that stop the Jets from progressing to the 2002 playoffs.
. The Broncos made room for Williams by cutting third string quarterback Danny Kanell
leaving just two quarterbacks on the Broncos roster. Week 3 against the San Diego Chargers
starting quarterback Jake Plummer
injured his shoulder during a Chargers sack which resulted in the release of Williams to make room for another quarterback. A couple days after the release, Williams was picked up by the Cleveland Browns
.
face the Denver Broncos
which was considered the game of the week that went in overtime. Williams finished that game with 8 tackles and a couple of break ups.
.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
) is a former American football
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the third round of the [2002 NFL Draft]:72nd overall. He received an football scholarship to Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
due to being academically ineligible he attended Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
.
Early years
Roosevelt stayed in the crime-infested housing projects on the East side of Jacksonville, where he and current NFL running back Leon WashingtonLeon Washington
Leon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son...
were neighbors. Roosevelt decided to attend Terry Parker High School that is 15 miles from his neighborhood; Williams felt the transition would keep him focus and out of trouble. At Terry Parker High School he lettered in football, basketball and track.
College career
At Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee University
Tuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
he was considered one the top five cornerbacks in the nation for the NFL draft. He was also arguably considered the best collegiate defender in the state of Alabama in 2002.He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Tuskegee in which he is considered the best cover cornerback to wear the crimson and old gold. Williams collegiate success of being drafted from a small division II have paid the way for current and former NFL players Drayton Florence
Drayton Florence
Drayton Florence, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Frank Walker (American football), Dimitri Patterson
Dimitri Patterson
Dimitri Jonthiel Patterson is an American football cornerback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
and Harry Williams (American football) who was drafted a year(s) after him. Williams made All-American and first team SIAC all of his four years at a historical black university.
Chicago Bears
Williams was selected in three round (72nd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. The pick used was obtained by the Bears from the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Due to an nagging ankle injury he suffered in training camp, Williams played 7 games in his rookie season starting in three. Week 13 Chicago missed a big opportunity on the last play of the half. Packers QB Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
threw a hail mary pass at the end of the half that was intercepted by Bears SS Damon Moore
Damon Moore
Damon Moore is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State....
. Moore fumbled the ball to Packers lineman Mike Wahle
Mike Wahle
Michael James Wahle is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1998 NFL Supplemental Draft...
, who subsequently fumbled it again to the Bears' Roosevelt Williams
Roosevelt Williams
Roosevelt Thomas "Grey Ghost" Williams was an African American blues pianist, with a 70-year career spanning from the 1920s through the 1990s.-History:...
. Packers rookie receiver Javon Walker
Javon Walker
Javon Lataff Walker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 20th overall of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
chased Williams down and tackled him short of the end zone to end the half. Bears CB R.W. McQuarters had a chance to make the block but attempted to position himself for a lateral instead, allowing Walker to make the tackle at the 11 yard line to end the first half. The wild play made headlines in the Chicago daily news, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and the Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
show when sports columnist Michael Wilbon
Michael Wilbon
Michael Ray Wilbon is a former sportswriter and columnist for the Washington Post and current ESPN commentator. He serves as an analyst for ESPN and co-hosts Pardon the Interruption on ESPN with former Post writer Tony Kornheiser, and has been doing so since 2001.-Career:Wilbon began working for...
criticized R.W. McQuarters for such a selfish act that caused Williams not to score.
Week 14 Williams made his first start against the AFC champions the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and was the player of the game that stop the Jets from progressing to the 2002 playoffs.
Denver Broncos
Williams was claimed off waivers from the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Broncos made room for Williams by cutting third string quarterback Danny Kanell
Danny Kanell
Daniel Paul Kanell is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League, and Arena Football League.-College career:...
leaving just two quarterbacks on the Broncos roster. Week 3 against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
starting quarterback Jake Plummer
Jake Plummer
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State....
injured his shoulder during a Chargers sack which resulted in the release of Williams to make room for another quarterback. A couple days after the release, Williams was picked up by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Cleveland Browns
Williams played in a total of 12 games for the Browns starting in 3. With the Browns Williams was on a secondary unit that were ranked #3 in pass defense and #10 in total defense. In week 13 Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
face the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
which was considered the game of the week that went in overtime. Williams finished that game with 8 tackles and a couple of break ups.
Coaching career
Williams is currently a collegiate football coach at Widener UniversityWidener University
Widener University is a private, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania.Its main campus sits on 108 acres , just southwest of Philadelphia...
.