Garry Williams (gridiron football) facts for kids

Garry Williams (born August 20, 1986) is a former American football player. He played as an offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL). An offensive tackle is a player who blocks defenders to protect the quarterback and help the running backs. Williams went to the University of Kentucky, where he played college football for the Wildcats. He also studied community communications and leadership development.

Williams joined the Panthers in 2009. He was signed as an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't picked in the NFL Draft but was later signed by a team. He faced many injuries while playing for the Panthers. These injuries made it hard for him to be a regular starter, even though he had many chances. In 2012, Williams played a full season. He helped his team set a record with 29 first downs in one game.

Growing Up and High School Football

Garry Williams played high school football at Seneca High School MCA in Louisville, Kentucky. He started as a defensive tackle in his first year. A defensive tackle tries to stop the other team's offense. Later, he switched to offensive tackle.

His team, the Red Hawks, made it to the playoffs every year Williams played. In his senior year (2003), he was named a first-team all-state player. This means he was one of the best players in the state. He helped his team get a 10–2 record and reach the second round of the state playoffs. That season, the Red Hawks were also ranked first in the state for the first time ever. Williams also played track and field at Seneca. He was ranked second in the state for shot put in 2003.

College Football Career

In 2004, Williams decided to play football at the University of Kentucky. He officially joined the team in 2005. In his first season (2005), he played in five games. He then started the last three games as a left tackle. In his second year, he started 12 games. His team named him the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.

In 2007, Williams started all 13 games. He was named a second-team All-SEC player. The SEC (Southeastern Conference) is a very strong college football league. The Wildcats offense also broke a team record that year. They scored 475 points, which was their highest ever in a season. Williams was named the SEC's offensive lineman of the week for his great play against the Florida Atlantic Owls.

As a senior, Williams was again named to the All-SEC second-team. He started 11 games that year. He was also named the team's most outstanding offensive lineman. He only allowed one sack (when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage) all season. A knee injury made him miss two games in his senior year. He finished his college career at Kentucky having played in 45 games and starting 39 of them.

Professional Football Journey

Carolina Panthers Years

Garry Williams was able to be picked in the 2009 NFL draft. However, no team chose him. Later, the Carolina Panthers signed him as a free agent. He was the only undrafted rookie to make the Panthers' main team after training camp. Williams played his first NFL game in Week 11 of his rookie season against the Miami Dolphins. In 2009, he played in seven games, mostly on special teams. Special teams are units that play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals.

In 2010, Williams played in all 16 regular season games. He started in 11 of them. He became a starter for the first time against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. He stayed a starter for the rest of that season. In the Panthers' last preseason game of 2011, Williams broke his ankle. This injury made him miss the entire 2011 season. The team's coach, Ron Rivera, later said they had planned for Williams to be a starter before his injury.

In 2012, Williams played in all 16 games and started in nine. In Week 15 against the San Diego Chargers, Williams started. He helped the Panthers break a team record with 29 first downs in one game. A first down means the offense gets to try for 10 more yards. Williams also helped the offensive line achieve 273 rushing yards and 530 total offensive yards in Week 17 against the New Orleans Saints. Both of these were the second-highest values in team history.

Before the 2013 season, the Panthers let go of right guard Geoff Hangartner. They announced Williams was likely to be the new starter. He started the first game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. But he got injured and had to leave the game. Doctors found that he had torn his ACL and MCL in his left knee. These are important ligaments in the knee. This injury ended his season. Williams played in the first game of the 2014 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he left practice later that week because of a sore hip. He was later placed on injured reserve with a back injury, which ended his season. Injured reserve means a player cannot play for the rest of the season. Williams became a free agent in 2015, and the Panthers did not sign him again.

Calgary Stampeders Experience

The Calgary Stampeders in Canada signed Williams on May 28, 2015. He made the Stampeders' main team after preseason. He played his first CFL (Canadian Football League) game on July 18 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He started three games as a left tackle. But he had to leave a game on August 1 against the Montreal Alouettes because of an arm injury. He was diagnosed with a hyperextended right elbow. He had several other injuries during the rest of the season. This caused him to miss many games. However, he returned in time to play in both playoff games for Calgary.

Chicago Bears Tryout

Williams signed with the Chicago Bears on August 4, 2016. On September 2, he was released by the team.

Personal Life

Garry Williams was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents are Garry Williams Sr. and Angela Williams. While he was playing college football at the University of Kentucky, he also studied public service and leadership. He was involved in community service. He helped with a "Breakfast with Santa" event at the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital. He also rang bells to collect donations for the Salvation Army.