Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 12-4-15 Edition

Ring Of Honor
Doug Williams To Be Inducted Into Buccaneer ‘Ring Of Honor’
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
Born and raised in Zachary, Louisiana, Doug Williams stayed close to home when he chose to attend Grambling State University.
Playing for the legendary coach, Eddie Robinson, Williams started four years at GSU, leaving with a 36-7 record and three Southwestern Athletic Conference Championships.
In his senior year at GSU, Williams finished fourth in the Heisman voting be- hind Earl Campbell, Terry Miller, and Ken MacAfee.
At the time, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator was Joe Gibbs, and when he saw Williams performing in college, he immediately asked the Bucs to make him their first pick in the 1978 draft (17th overall).
Williams immediately transformed the team into winners, taking them to the playoffs three times in four years, and in 1979, they competed for the NFC Champi- onship against the Los Angeles Rams.
Prior to the 1982 season, Williams, the only starting African American quarter- back in the NFL at that time, was being paid the lowest of all NFL quarterbacks, earn- ing $120,000-a-year. He asked then owner Hugh Culverhouse, for $600,000-a-year, and Culverhouse refused, offering $400,000, despite protests from head coach John McKay that Williams be paid whatever he wants. It was also reported that African American fans had stopped coming to the games in protest of Culverhouse’s refusal to pay Williams what he wanted.
Culverhouse's willingness to let Williams get away over such a relatively small amount of money was seen as particularly insensitive, coming only months after Williams's wife and college sweetheart, Janice, died of a brain tumor.
After being released from his contract by Culverhouse, Williams left for the United States Football League. That league shut down in 1986. He returned to the NFL, and joined the Washington Redskins, teaming up again with Joe Gibbs who was the Redskins’ head coach. Williams was the backup to starter Jay Schroeder. After Schroeder’s performance collapsed due to his injuries, Williams was named the starting quarterback and took the Redskins to Super Bowl XXII in January 1988 where they blasted the John Elway led Denver Broncos.
Williams became the first African American quarterback to win a Super Bowl and be named MVP.
In 1991, Williams was inducted into the Buccaneer Krewe Of Honor, and on Sunday, December 6, 2015, Williams will join Lee Roy Selmon, John McKay, Jimmie Giles, Paul Gruber, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and Mike Al- stott when he is inducted into the Buccaneer Ring of Honor. The tribute will be a part of the Bucs home game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Career After Football
Williams started his college head coaching career at Morehouse College in 1997.
He also has previous NFL experience as a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995, and as an offensive coordinator for the Scottish Claymores of the World League of American Football.
Williams also excelled on the high school level as head coach and athletic direc- tor at Pointe Coupee Central High School in Labarre, Louisiana in 1991, and in 1993, he was head coach of Northeast High School in his hometown of Zachary, Louisiana. He became head coach at Grambling State in 1998, succeeding the legendary Eddie Robinson, and led the Tigers to three SWAC titles from 2000 to 2002, when he left to return to the Buccaneers as a personnel executive. In 2009, he was promoted to
the position of Director of Professional Scouting.
On May 11, 2010, it was announced Williams would be leaving that post to be
named the General Manager of the Norfolk expansion franchise in the United Foot- ball League.
On February 21, 2011, Williams returned to Grambling State as their head foot- ball coach until September of 2013.
On February 10, 2014, the Washington Redskins hired Williams as a front office personnel executive. The hiring marks his return to the Redskins.
Williams said he feels he met all of his goals as a professional athlete.
“I played in and won a Super Bowl. That’s the goal of every professional athlete. “When you think about it, there have been thousands of great athletes who’ve
played in the NFL, but very few have been to a Super Bowl.”
Williams said in spite of headlines a lot of the athletes have been earning lately,
he thinks the future of the NFL is solid.
“The NFL isn’t going anywhere. The shield is big. The NFL is like anything else;
it will have its ups and downs.
“I think today’s athletes are scrutinized a lot more. The media sources are unlim-
ited and put out all kinds of information on athletes, some true, some false. There are things in place to help today’s athletes. Economically, some of them feel invinci- ble.”
On his induction, Williams said it says a lot about how your teammates, owners, and the city feel about you.
“When I left in 1982, The Bucs still had a great defense, but didn’t win any con- ference titles. The team went through a lengthy dry spell for about 14 years.
“On Sunday, it will be good reuniting with my old teammates. I also think it’s a respect thing. Some may want to be there, but can’t make it.”
Williams said as far as his legacy is concerned, “When it was time to play, I was ready. When you play a season with your jaw wired shut, that’s says a lot about your desire as an athlete, and how much you love the game.”
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A