Tyrone Williams (wide receiver) facts for kids

Tyrone Robert Williams (born March 26, 1970) is a Canadian former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver for teams like the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Tyrone Williams is famous for being the first player to win three major football championships: a Vanier Cup, a Super Bowl, and a Grey Cup. He played university football at the University of Western Ontario.

Early Life and Sports

Tyrone Williams grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He went to Queen Elizabeth High School (Halifax, Nova Scotia). There, he was a talented athlete who played many sports. He was good at football, soccer, and basketball. In football, he was chosen as an All-star player. He played both quarterback and wide receiver. When he was a senior, he was also an All-star in basketball. He played as a forward on his school's team.

University Football Career

Joining the Western Mustangs

In 1988, Tyrone Williams was recruited by Larry Haylor. He was the football coach for the University of Western Ontario. Tyrone quickly made a big impact in his first year with the Western Mustangs team. He set a new team record for receiving yards per catch. He gained 21.9 yards every time he caught the ball. Because of his great play, he was named a second-team all-star in the Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA).

Winning the Vanier Cup

Tyrone was named an OUAA all-star again in 1989. That year, the Mustangs won their fifth Vanier Cup title. The Vanier Cup is the championship game for Canadian university football. In that game, Tyrone caught five passes for 157 yards. He also scored a touchdown. His amazing performance earned him the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the most outstanding player in the game. Western beat the Saskatchewan Huskies 35–10 to win the championship.

Setting Records and Earning Honors

Tyrone Williams continued to excel. He earned All-Canadian honors in both 1990 and 1991. When he graduated from Western, he had a degree in economics. He also held school records for the most receptions and most receiving yards. These records stood for almost 20 years. Later, another CFL star, Andy Fantuz, broke them.

Playing in the Senior Bowl

Tyrone's success in Canada caught the eye of American football scouts. After his final season at Western, he received a special invitation. He was asked to play in the Senior Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama. This was a big deal because Tyrone was the first Canadian university player ever invited to this game. The Senior Bowl is a showcase for top graduating US college football players. In the game, Tyrone caught a 36-yard touchdown pass. It was the only offensive touchdown in the game. This play helped the AFC team win 13-10. He even won the AT&T Long Distance Play of the Game award for his long catch.

Playing in the NFL

Starting with the Phoenix Cardinals

In February 1992, the Calgary Stampeders picked Tyrone Williams. They chose him seventh overall in the first round of the CFL draft. But Tyrone decided to wait for the NFL draft in April. He wanted to see if an NFL team would pick him. The Phoenix Cardinals selected him in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL draft. He was the 239th player chosen overall. This made him the first player from a Canadian university to be picked in the NFL draft since 1986.

Tyrone's NFL career did not start easily. In 1992, he missed the first two weeks of the Cardinals' training camp. His work visa had not arrived yet. Because he fell behind, the Cardinals let him go on September 1.

Joining the Dallas Cowboys

On September 2, 1992, the Dallas Cowboys signed Tyrone Williams. He joined their practice squad. During that season, he did not play in any regular or playoff games. Even though he was not active, he earned his first Super Bowl ring. He watched from the sidelines as the Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 52–17 in Super Bowl XXVII.

In 1993, Tyrone had a memorable moment with the Cowboys. In a preseason game in London, England, he played well. He caught 5 passes for 157 yards from quarterback Jason Garrett. This included a 53-yard touchdown pass that tied the game. The Cowboys tied 13–13 with the Detroit Lions. During the 1993 regular season, he played in 5 games. He caught one pass for 25 yards. The Cowboys made it to Super Bowl XXVIII. However, Tyrone was not active for that game. The team decided to have an extra running back instead. He did not play, but he earned a second Super Bowl ring. The Cowboys defeated the Bills 30–13 to win their second straight NFL championship.

On July 11, 1994, Tyrone left the Cowboys. The Chicago Bears claimed him the next day. But he was released during the team's final cuts before the season started. After not playing in 1994, Tyrone was invited to the Buffalo Bills training camp in January 1995. He was released on August 26. After this, he decided to look for new chances back in Canada.

Playing in the CFL

With the Calgary Stampeders

On September 12, 1995, Tyrone signed with the Calgary Stampeders. They still had the rights to sign him from the 1992 CFL draft. He joined his former Mustangs teammate, Dave Sapunjis, on the Stampeders' receiving team. He caught six passes for 81 yards and one touchdown in seven games. The team almost won the CFL championship that year. Tyrone caught one pass for 13 yards in Calgary's 37–20 loss to the Baltimore Stallions in the 83rd Grey Cup.

Winning the Grey Cup with Toronto

On May 23, 1996, the Toronto Argonauts traded for Tyrone Williams. He had his best professional season that year. He played a full schedule and caught passes for almost 900 yards. The Argonauts, led by quarterback Doug Flutie, had a great record of 15 wins and 3 losses. They went on to win the 84th Grey Cup against the Edmonton Eskimos 43–37. With this victory, Tyrone Williams made history. He became the first player to win the Vanier Cup, the Super Bowl, and the Grey Cup.

Retirement

On March 11, 1997, the Miami Dolphins of the NFL signed Tyrone Williams. They offered him a two-year contract. However, he chose to retire from football in May of that year. He was released on May 12. Tyrone retired from professional football at the age of 27. He never gave a public reason for his decision.

Career Statistics

Life After Football

In 2004, Tyrone Williams was honored for his achievements in sports. He was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame. His uncle is Tommy Kane, who also played wide receiver in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. Today, Tyrone Williams works as a substitute teacher. He teaches in the Halifax Regional Centre for Education.