Steve Wilson (defensive back) facts for kids

Steven Anthony Wilson (born August 24, 1957) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL). He was part of the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos teams.

Before playing professionally, Steve Wilson played college football for the Howard Bison. After his playing career, he became a football coach. He was the head coach at his old college, Howard University, and later at Texas Southern University. Most recently, he was a coach for the DC Defenders in the XFL.

Early Life and High School Football

Steve Wilson grew up in Los Angeles, California. He went to Northern High School in Durham, North Carolina. There, he played both defensive back and wide receiver on the football team. In his final year, he was chosen to play in the North-South Senior All-Star Game.

College Football at Howard University

After high school, Wilson received a scholarship to play football at Howard University. He focused on playing wide receiver there. In his senior year, he had an amazing season. He set new school records for catches (94), receiving yards (1,339), and touchdown receptions (12). He also set a record for kickoff returns (40).

When he graduated, he was the school's all-time leader in both receiving and kick returns. His achievements were recognized later on. In 2013, he was added to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. He also received special honors in 2012 and was inducted into the Black College Hall of Fame.

Playing in the NFL

Steve Wilson played for two different teams in the National Football League (NFL). He started with the Dallas Cowboys and then moved to the Denver Broncos.

Dallas Cowboys

Even though Steve Wilson was a great player in college, he was not chosen in the 1979 NFL draft. However, the Dallas Cowboys signed him as a player who was not drafted. He was briefly let go from the team but was quickly re-signed. This happened because another player, Butch Johnson, got injured.

In his first year, he was the team's top player for punt returns. For his second season, the Cowboys changed his position to cornerback. He started 11 games that year. He made 48 tackles and caught 4 interceptions. He also defended 41 passes, which was the most on the team.

In 1981, he started four games. Then, a new player named Everson Walls took his spot. Walls went on to become a Pro Bowl player that season. In 1982, Wilson was moved back to wide receiver before leaving the team.

Denver Broncos

Steve Wilson joined the Denver Broncos in September 1982. He signed with them after another player, Steve Foley, broke his arm.

In 1983, he started three games. This was because other defensive players like Foley and Dennis Smith were injured. In 1985, he started four of the first five games due to injuries on the team. That year, he had 3 interceptions and recovered a fumble.

In 1987, he became the starting right cornerback for the last five regular season games. He also started in all the playoff games, including Super Bowl XXII. He was briefly let go in 1988 but was brought back when the team had many injuries.

During his time with the Broncos, Steve Wilson was a reliable player. He only missed four games. Even though he was often a backup player, he was always one of the team leaders in interceptions. He finished his career ranked ninth in Broncos history with 16 interceptions.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Steve Wilson became a successful football coach.

Coaching at Howard University

He returned to his old college, Howard University, as the head football coach. He led the Howard Bison team to win the Mideastern Athletic Conference championship twice. They also won the Black College National championship in 1993 and 1996. His 1993 team had an amazing 11-0 record. This was the first time Howard qualified for the Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs.

During his time at Howard, his coaching record was 78 wins and 67 losses. He was named the MEAC Coach of the Year twice, in 1989 and 1993.

Other Coaching Roles

After Howard, he spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator for Bowie State University. In 2004, he became the head coach of Texas Southern University. He coached there until 2007.

In 2019, he joined the DC Defenders of the XFL. He worked as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for the team.

Personal Life

Steve Wilson comes from a family of football players. His father, Tommy Wilson, also played in the National Football League (NFL). Tommy Wilson played for eight seasons and was a Pro Bowl player.