Adrian Wilson (American football) facts for kids
Wilson playing for the Arizona Cardinals in 2009
|
|||||||||||||||
| No. 22, 24 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | October 12, 1979 High Point, North Carolina, U.S. |
||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | T. Wingate Andrews (High Point, North Carolina) |
||||||||||||||
| College: | NC State (1998–2000) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 3 / Pick: 64 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| As executive: | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Adrian Lemar Wilson (born October 12, 1979) is an American former professional football player. He was a safety and later became an executive. Wilson played college football for the NC State Wolfpack. He was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2001 NFL draft.
He also played in the NFL for the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears. After his playing days, he worked as an executive for the Cardinals and the Carolina Panthers. He was part of the Cardinals' team management from 2015 to 2022. In 2023, he moved to the Panthers' front office for a new opportunity.
Playing Career Highlights
Adrian Wilson had a long and successful career in the NFL. He was known for being a strong safety. This position means he played a key role in stopping opposing teams' plays. He was good at tackling, intercepting passes, and even sacking quarterbacks.
College Football Years
Wilson went to North Carolina State University. He was a starting strong safety for the NC State Wolfpack football team for two years. He played in 33 games and started 23 of them. During his time there, he made 254 tackles and intercepted 3 passes. He decided to leave college early after his junior year. He then entered the 2001 NFL draft.
Joining the NFL
The Arizona Cardinals picked Adrian Wilson in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was the sixth safety chosen that year. On July 25, 2001, he signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals.
Rookie Season (2001)
In his first year, Wilson played in all 16 games. He made his professional debut against the Denver Broncos. He got his first career interception in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys. Later that season, he scored his first touchdown. He returned an interception for 61 yards against the Washington Redskins. This play is called a "pick six."
Becoming a Starter (2002-2005)
In 2002, Wilson became the starting strong safety for the Cardinals. He had a great game in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys. He made three interceptions and his first career sack. In 2005, he had an amazing season. He made a career-high 109 tackles and 8 sacks. This was one of the best seasons ever for a defensive back in terms of sacks.
Pro Bowl Selections (2006-2011)
Wilson was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during his career. His first Pro Bowl selection was in 2006. In a game against the Atlanta Falcons, he returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown. This was one of the longest interception returns in Cardinals history.
In 2007, he had an injury that ended his streak of starting games. But he came back strong in 2008.
Super Bowl Appearance (2008)
In 2008, the Arizona Cardinals had a fantastic season. They made it all the way to Super Bowl XLIII. Wilson played a big part in their success. He made many tackles and sacks during their playoff run. Even though they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, it was a memorable season.
Joining the 20-20 and 25-25 Clubs
In 2009, Wilson made his 20th career sack. This made him one of only 14 players in NFL history to have at least 20 sacks and 20 interceptions. This is known as the "20-20 club."
In 2012, his last season with the Cardinals, he reached another milestone. He got his 25th career sack. With his 27 interceptions, he became one of only six players in NFL history to have at least 25 sacks and 25 interceptions. This is an even more exclusive group, the "25-25 club."
Later Career (2013-2014)
After 12 seasons with the Cardinals, Wilson joined the New England Patriots in 2013. Unfortunately, he had an Achilles tendon injury that kept him out for the season. In 2014, he signed with the Chicago Bears, but he was waived before the season started.
Retirement
On April 20, 2015, Adrian Wilson officially announced his retirement from playing football. He signed a special one-day contract with the Cardinals to retire as a member of the team he played for the longest.
NFL Career Statistics
Adrian Wilson's career statistics show how well he played. He was a very active player on defense.
| Year | Team | GP | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | Other | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | Stuffs | StuffY | KB | |||
| 2001 | ARI | 16 | 32 | 24 | 8 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 97 | 49 | 61 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | ARI | 14 | 91 | 65 | 26 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 35 | 9 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | ARI | 16 | 77 | 68 | 9 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 | ARI | 16 | 102 | 80 | 22 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 62 | 21 | 27 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | ARI | 16 | 109 | 93 | 16 | 8.0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | ARI | 16 | 83 | 75 | 8 | 5.0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 146 | 37 | 99 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 0 |
| 2007 | ARI | 9 | 44 | 33 | 11 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 0 |
| 2008 | ARI | 15 | 75 | 60 | 15 | 2.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 19 | 28 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 0 |
| 2009 | ARI | 16 | 74 | 61 | 13 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 56 | 11 | 41 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 0 |
| 2010 | ARI | 16 | 88 | 76 | 12 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
| 2011 | ARI | 16 | 65 | 48 | 17 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 0 |
| 2012 | ARI | 15 | 54 | 39 | 15 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | -2 | -2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Career | 181 | 894 | 722 | 172 | 25.5 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 27 | 508 | 19 | 99 | 2 | 101 | 63 | 104 | 3 | |
NFL Records
- He holds the record for the 2nd most sacks in a single season by a defensive back (8 sacks in 2005).
Cardinals Franchise Records
- He is tied for the 2nd longest interception return touchdown (99 yards).
- He holds the record for most passes defended (95) in Cardinals history.
Executive Career
After retiring as a player, Adrian Wilson moved into a new role in football. He became an executive, working behind the scenes for NFL teams.
Arizona Cardinals
In 2015, the Arizona Cardinals hired Wilson as a regional scout. This job involves finding new talent for the team. In May 2019, he was promoted to director of pro scouting. This meant he was in charge of scouting professional players. In February 2021, he became the vice president of pro scouting.
Carolina Panthers
In February 2023, Wilson left the Cardinals to join the Carolina Panthers. He took on the role of Vice President of Player Personnel. This job involves helping to manage the team's players and roster. He parted ways with the Panthers in July 2024.
Personal Life
Adrian Wilson grew up in High Point, North Carolina. He went to T. Wingate Andrews High School there. He has four children. He also used to own a designer shoe store in Arizona called High Point.
