Adrian Wilson (American football) facts for kids
Wilson playing for the Arizona Cardinals in 2009
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| Position: | Safety | ||||||||||||||
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| Born: | October 12, 1979 High Point, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | T. Wingate Andrews (High Point) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | NC State (1998–2000) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 3 / Pick: 64 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
Adrian Lemar Wilson (born October 12, 1979) is a former American football player. He was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). Wilson played college football for the NC State Wolfpack. The Arizona Cardinals picked him in the 2001 NFL draft. He also played for the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears.
After his playing days, Adrian Wilson worked for the Cardinals. He was part of their team management from 2015 to 2022. In 2023, he joined the Carolina Panthers in a leadership role.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
College Football Journey
Adrian Wilson went to North Carolina State University. He was a starting strong safety for the NC State Wolfpack football team for two years. In 33 games, he made 254 tackles and intercepted 3 passes. He had the most tackles by an NC State defensive back since 1995. After his junior year, Wilson decided to enter the NFL draft early.
Joining the National Football League
The Arizona Cardinals chose Adrian Wilson in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. He was the sixth safety picked that year.
Early Years with the Arizona Cardinals (2001-2003)
In 2001, Wilson signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals. He started as a backup strong safety. In his first season, he played in all 16 games. He made 32 tackles and had two interceptions. One of these was a 61-yard touchdown return, his first career touchdown!
In 2002, Wilson became the starting strong safety. He had a great game against the Dallas Cowboys. He made three interceptions and his first career sack. He finished the season with 91 tackles.
In 2003, Wilson continued as the starting strong safety. He had 77 tackles and played in all 16 games.
Becoming a Star (2004-2006)
In 2004, the Cardinals signed Wilson to a new five-year contract. He continued to be a key player, making 102 tackles and three interceptions.
The 2005 season was outstanding for Wilson. He had a career-high 109 tackles. He also recorded eight sacks, which is a lot for a safety! This showed he was great at both tackling and rushing the quarterback.
In 2006, Wilson kept up his strong play. He had a memorable 99-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. This was one of the longest interception returns in Cardinals history. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl that year, which is a huge honor for an NFL player.
Overcoming Challenges (2007-2008)
In 2007, Wilson started strong but faced an injury. He tore his Achilles tendon and had to miss the rest of the season. This ended his streak of 59 straight starts.
He came back strong in 2008. He was a starting safety again and helped the Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII. He made a tough play in a game that resulted in a fine. He was selected for his second Pro Bowl. In the playoffs, he helped the Cardinals win two games. He even had two sacks in the NFC Championship Game.
Continued Success (2009-2012)
In 2009, Wilson signed a new contract extension with the Cardinals. He continued to be a top player. He became one of only 14 players in NFL history to have 20 sacks and 20 interceptions in their career. This is known as the "20-20 club." He earned his third Pro Bowl selection.
In 2010, Wilson had another solid season with 88 tackles and two interceptions. He was recognized by his fellow players as one of the top 100 players in the NFL.
In 2011, Wilson was selected for his fourth Pro Bowl. He continued to be a leader in the Cardinals' defense.
His final season with the Cardinals was 2012. He made 54 tackles and three sacks. With his 27 interceptions, he became one of only six players in NFL history to have 25 sacks and 25 interceptions. This is an even more exclusive "25-25 club."
Time with Other Teams (2013-2014)
In 2013, the Arizona Cardinals released Wilson after 12 years. He then signed with the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, he suffered another Achilles tendon injury and was placed on injured reserve for the season. The Patriots released him in 2014.
Later in 2014, Wilson signed with the Chicago Bears. He competed for a starting spot but was waived before the season began.
Retirement from Playing
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
| 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 Achieved
- Second most sacks in a single season by a defensive back (8 in 2005).
Arizona Cardinals Team Records
- Second longest interception return touchdown: 99 yards (tied with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie)
- Most passes defended (95)
Executive Career in Football
Working with the Arizona Cardinals
After retiring as a player, Adrian Wilson joined the Arizona Cardinals front office. In 2015, he became 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.
Moving to the Carolina Panthers
In February 2023, Wilson left the Cardinals for a new role. He became the Vice President of Player Personnel for the Carolina Panthers. This position involves making big decisions about the team's players. He worked with the Panthers until July 2024.
About Adrian Wilson's Life
Adrian Wilson went to T. Wingate Andrews High School in High Point, North Carolina. He has four children. He once owned a designer shoe store in Arizona called High Point.
