Jason Worilds facts for kids
Worilds with Steelers in 2012
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| No. 97, 93 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | March 3, 1988 Rahway, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 262 lb (119 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Carteret (Carteret, New Jersey) | ||||||||||
| College: | Virginia Tech | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 2 / Pick: 52 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Jason Adjepong Worilds (born March 3, 1988) is an American former professional football player. He played as a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Jason played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Steelers picked him in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He decided to retire when he was still a top player to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jason Worilds grew up in Carteret, New Jersey. He went to Carteret High School. There, he was a great athlete in two sports: football and track.
Playing Multiple Positions
On the football field, Jason played in several important roles. He was on the defensive line, which tries to stop the other team. He also played as a linebacker, a player who defends against both running and passing plays. Sometimes, he even played fullback on offense.
High School Achievements
In his junior year, Jason made 87 tackles. A tackle is when you stop an opponent with the ball. He also had 12 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing team's quarterback before they could throw the ball. On offense, he ran for 330 yards and scored four touchdowns. These achievements earned him All-State honors from the Associated Press.
His senior year was even better. He had 107 tackles and 10 sacks. He earned All-State honors again, becoming the first player from his school to do so two years in a row. After high school, experts like Rivals.com and Scout.com ranked him as one of the best defensive players in the country.
College Football Career
Jason Worilds played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He started his college career by playing in two games. He even blocked a punt, which is a special play where you stop the other team's kick. However, he had to get shoulder surgery and took a medical break for the rest of that season.
Overcoming Injuries
In 2007, Jason returned to the field. He helped his team by pressuring the opposing quarterback. But he got a high-ankle sprain in a game against Ohio. This injury made him miss the next game.
Strong Performance at Virginia Tech
The next season, Jason started 12 games and played in 13. He was fourth on his team with 62 tackles. He also led the Hokies with 21 quarterback hurries. A quarterback hurry is when you make the quarterback throw the ball sooner than they want to. He had 7 tackles against the University of Virginia, a big rival. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury kept him out of the Orange Bowl.
In 2009, Jason started all 13 games for Virginia Tech. He had 49 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He also pressured the quarterback 42 times and hit them 32 times. After his junior year, Jason decided to enter the NFL Draft. He finished his college career with 132 tackles and 15 sacks.
Professional NFL Career
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Jason Worilds in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He was the 52nd player picked overall. He signed a contract with the Steelers on March 3, 2014, to stay with the team.
Unexpected Retirement
On March 11, 2015, Jason Worilds made a surprising announcement. He retired from the NFL at just 27 years old. He had played five years for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This decision surprised many people because he was about to become a free agent. Experts thought he would get a large contract, possibly $7 to $8 million per year.
Jason chose to retire to focus on his faith. He wanted to dedicate his life to Jehovah God as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. He finished his NFL career with 25.5 sacks.
