Jesse Williams (American football) facts for kids
Williams with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015
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| No. 90 | |
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| Position: | Defensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | 2 November 1990 Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 325 lb (147 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Cavendish Road (Brisbane, Queensland) |
| College: | Arizona Western (2009-2010) Alabama (2011-2012) |
| NFL Draft: | 2013 / Round: 5 / Pick: 137 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
Jesse Williams (born 2 November 1990), also known as "tha Monstar", is an Australian former professional American football player. He played as a defensive tackle. Williams played college football for the University of Alabama. He was a key player on the defensive line for the teams that won national championships in 2011 and 2012. The Seattle Seahawks chose him in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft. Even though he spent most of his professional career dealing with injuries, Williams made history. He became the first Australian to win a Super Bowl ring as part of Seattle's 2013 team.
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Early Life and Football Start
Williams was born on Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. His parents are Torres Strait Islander people. He grew up in Brisbane, attending Norman Park State School and Cavendish Road State High School. When he was younger, he played rugby league and basketball. He didn't start playing American football until he was 14 years old.
He first played football with the Bayside Ravens. He went to one of their practices to watch a friend play. In his first year, Williams was named Rookie of the Year. He also joined the Queensland Under 19 team. This team went on to win the Australian National Championships. For his great efforts in the 2008 season, he was named Defensive Player of the Year with the Ravens.
College Football Journey
Williams was first offered a scholarship to play for the Hawaii Warriors football team. A scout saw him play during the Australian National Championships. He agreed to play for Hawaii when he was 16. However, he couldn't enroll because he needed to complete a math and an English class.
Williams then chose to go to Arizona Western College. Coaches there saw him play in a game against New Zealand. At that time, Williams was the first Indigenous Australian to get a scholarship to play college football in the United States. At Western, Williams became one of the most highly rated players from junior college for the 2011 class. He received scholarship offers from over 25 schools. Williams then joined the University of Alabama in early 2011. He began practicing with coach Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
Williams started all 13 games in the 2011 season for the Crimson Tide. He played as a defensive end. He made 24 tackles and half a quarterback sack that year. During the break between seasons, Williams became famous online. Pictures of him bench pressing 600 pounds (about 272 kg) were shared on his Twitter account.
Before the 2012 season, Williams was named to several important award lists. These included the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Outland Trophy. He was also named to the ESPN.com Preseason All-America Team as a nose tackle.
For the 2012 regular season, Williams was a starter for Alabama. He played as the nose guard in 13 of 14 games. He made 37 total tackles, one quarterback sack, and blocked a kick. In their first game of 2012, Williams got a concussion. This kept him out of Alabama's second game. He returned to play in their third game. In one game, Williams even played on offense for the first time. He lined up as a fullback for a touchdown run. After the season, he was named to the AP All-SEC Second-team.
Professional Football Career
Before the NFL Scouting Combine, Williams was known for his incredible strength. He could bench-press up to 600 pounds (about 272 kg). He hoped to break the combine record for bench press, which was 51 repetitions. However, he completed 30 repetitions. Experts thought he might be picked early in the 2013 NFL draft. But Williams was chosen in the fifth round, as the 137th overall pick, by the Seattle Seahawks.
Williams signed his first professional contract with Seattle on May 10, 2013. On August 26, 2013, Williams was placed on the injured reserve list. This was because of a knee injury. He missed his entire first season with Seattle due to this injury. Even though he didn't play any games that season, Williams made history. He became the first Australian to win a Super Bowl ring. This happened after Seattle's victory in Super Bowl XLVIII.
On August 1, 2014, Williams was again placed on the injured reserve list. This was also due to a knee injury. He missed his second straight regular season because of injuries. The Seahawks then released Williams on March 6, 2015. However, he was re-signed by the team on April 1, 2015. On March 9, 2016, Williams was waived by the Seahawks again.
Life After Football
In May 2015, Williams was diagnosed with a type of cancer called papillary Type 2 cancer. He also had to have kidney surgery. In a statement, Williams said he was a "fighter" and would focus on his health. His goal was to return to football.
After his football career, Williams became a strength and conditioning coach. He is also involved in helping American football grow in Australia. He is very dedicated to community work in the area where he grew up.
Images for kids
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Williams with the Seattle Seahawks in 2015
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Williams on offense against Western Carolina in 2012.
