Steve Wilson (defensive back) facts for kids
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| Position: | Defensive back, Wide receiver |
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| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | August 24, 1957 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Northern (Durham, North Carolina) |
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| College: | Howard | ||||
| Undrafted: | 1979 | ||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
Steven Anthony Wilson (born August 24, 1957) is a former American football player and coach. He played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. Steve Wilson also played college football at Howard University. Later in his career, he became a football coach for several teams, including his old college team, Howard University.
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Early Life and College Football
Steve Wilson grew up in Durham, North Carolina, where he went to Northern High School. He was a talented player, playing both defensive back (a player who defends against passes) and wide receiver (a player who catches passes). As a senior, he was even invited to play in a special all-star game for top high school players.
After high school, Steve earned a scholarship to play college football at Howard University. There, he focused on being a wide receiver. In his senior year, he broke several school records. He had 94 catches, gained 1,339 receiving yards, and scored 12 touchdowns. He also set a record for kickoff returns. When he graduated, he was the best receiver and kick returner in Howard's history.
His amazing college career led to him being honored later in life. In 2013, he was added to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame. He also joined the Black College Hall of Fame.
Playing in the NFL
Dallas Cowboys
Even though Steve Wilson was a great college player, he was not chosen in the 1979 NFL draft. However, the Dallas Cowboys signed him as a player who wasn't drafted. He quickly showed his skill by leading the team in punt returns during his first year.
In his second season, the Cowboys changed his position to cornerback, which is a type of defensive back. He started 11 games and was very good at stopping passes, leading the team with 41 passes defended.
In 1981, he started four games before another player, Everson Walls, took over his starting spot. The next year, in 1982, he was moved back to wide receiver, but he was released from the team in September.
Denver Broncos
Steve Wilson then signed with the Denver Broncos in September 1982. He joined the team after another player got injured, providing much-needed help in the defensive backfield.
He became a reliable player for the Broncos. Even though he was mostly a backup, he often made important plays. He was known for getting many interceptions (catching the ball when the other team throws it). By the end of his time with the Broncos, he was ranked ninth in the team's history for interceptions, with 16.
In 1987, he started the last five regular season games and all the playoff games at cornerback. This included playing in Super Bowl XXII, which is the championship game of the NFL season. He left the Broncos in 1988 but was re-signed later that year when the team had more injuries.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Steve Wilson became a football coach. He returned to his old college, Howard University, to coach the Howard Bison team. He was a very successful coach there, leading the team to two championships: the Mideastern Athletic Conference championship and the Black College National championship in 1993 and 1996.
His 1993 team was especially impressive, finishing with an 11-0 record (11 wins and 0 losses). 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 also named MEAC Coach of the Year twice, in 1989 and 1993.
After Howard, he worked as a defensive coordinator for Bowie State University for three seasons. In 2004, he became the head coach for Texas Southern University.
Most recently, in 2019, Steve Wilson was named the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for the DC Defenders in the XFL.
Personal Life
Steve Wilson comes from a family of football players. His father, Tommy Wilson, also played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons and was even a Pro Bowl player.
