Ben Williams (American football, born 1954)
Robert Jerry "Ben" Williams (September 1, 1954 – May 18, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) between 1976 and 1985. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft out of the University of Mississippi. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 1982.[1] Williams was the first African-American football player at Ole Miss.[2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | September 1, 1954 Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died: | May 18, 2020 (aged 65) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 251 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Ole Miss |
| Position: | Defensive end |
| NFL Draft: | 1976 / Round: 3 / Pick: 78 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NFL statistics | |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Life and career edit
Williams was the first Black person to play in a football game at Ole Miss. Nicknamed "Gentle” Ben Williams, during his college days, he was a three-time All-SEC selection. He currently holds the school record for career (37) and single season (18) sacks.[3]
In 1976, he became the first Black player from Ole Miss to be drafted by the NFL. He selected by the Buffalo Bills in the third round. During his ten years with the Bills he made 45.5 sacks, a franchise record.[3]
On November 24, 2022 when Ole Miss played against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl, Williams became the second Black player and only the fourth overall to have his number retired at Ole Miss. The others are Archie Manning, Chucky Mullins, and Eli Manning. [3]
Williams is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[4][5]
References edit
- ^ Ben Williams. pro-football-reference.com
- ^ . Archived from the original on November 7, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c Jackson, Wilton (September 22, 2022). "Ole Miss to Retire Number of School's First Black Football Player". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
Ole Miss announced Thursday that it will retire Ben Williams's No. 74 jersey number when the Rebels face Mississippi State in the annual Egg Bowl on Nov. 24.
- ^ "The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)". Concussion Legacy Foundation. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller (June 20, 2023). "Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.