Will Witherspoon facts for kids
Witherspoon at Al Asad Airbase in 2009
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 19, 1980 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Rutherford (Panama City, Florida) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Georgia (1998–2001) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2002 / Round: 3 / Pick: 73 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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William Cordell Witherspoon (born August 19, 1980) is a former American football player. He was a linebacker, a key defensive position, in the NFL. Will Witherspoon played for several teams during his career. These teams included the Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tennessee Titans.
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Early Life and Growing Up
Will Witherspoon was born in San Antonio, Texas. His father was in the US Air Force, so Will moved around a lot as a child. However, his family always lived in local communities, not on military bases. This helped the children experience different cultures.
Will is very good with languages. He speaks German and is learning both Arabic and Swedish. He went to Good Shepherd Lutheran School for middle school.
High School Football Star
In high school, Will played football for Rutherford High School in Panama City, Florida. He started as a running back, carrying the ball for his team. Before his senior year, he switched to playing linebacker.
As a linebacker, he became a star. He was named the USA Today Florida Player of the Year. In his senior year, he made 112 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players. He also had 3 sacks (tackling the quarterback) and 3 interceptions (catching a pass meant for the other team).
College Football Career
Will Witherspoon played college football at the University of Georgia. He was a starter for three years with the Georgia Bulldogs. He played in every game as a freshman.
For the rest of his time at Georgia, he started most games. He played different linebacker positions, showing how versatile he was. He finished his college career with 211 tackles. He also had 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Will studied landscape architecture in college.
Playing in the NFL
Will Witherspoon was chosen by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 NFL Draft. This is when professional teams pick new players from college. He was the 73rd player picked overall.
Carolina Panthers (2002–2005)
Will joined the Panthers when they were changing their defense. His ability to play different linebacker roles helped the team have one of the best defenses in the league. In his first year, he had 71 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
In 2003, Will was the only Panthers linebacker to start every game. He had a career-high 16 tackles in Super Bowl XXXVIII. He ended that season with 99 tackles, one sack, and one interception. The next year, he set personal bests with three sacks and four interceptions. He also had 103 tackles. In his final year with the Panthers in 2005, he played in 15 games. He finished with 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.
St. Louis Rams (First Time: 2006–2009)
In 2006, Will signed a big contract with the St. Louis Rams. In his first season with the Rams, he played in all 16 games. He recorded a career-high 113 tackles and three sacks.
In 2007, he had 110 tackles and a career-high seven sacks. He was named the Team MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the Rams that year.
Philadelphia Eagles (2009)
In October 2009, Will was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. In his very first game as an Eagle, he had an amazing performance. He made six tackles, caught an interception (and ran it back for a touchdown!), had a sack, and forced a fumble.
He played in 17 games that season, which is unusual. This happened because he was traded from the Rams to the Eagles. The trade happened after the Eagles had their "bye week" (a week off) but before the Rams had theirs.
Tennessee Titans (2010–2012)
Will Witherspoon signed with the Tennessee Titans in March 2010. His teammates voted him to receive the Ed Block Courage Award. This award goes to players who show courage, compassion, and commitment.
St. Louis Rams (Second Time: 2013)
Will signed with the Rams again in July 2013 for one more season.
After Football
Will Witherspoon retired from professional football after the 2013-2014 season. He then became a sideline reporter for the St. Louis Rams Radio Network. This meant he reported from the side of the field during games.
Personal Life
Will Witherspoon has children. He also owns a farm called Shire Gate Farm in Missouri. This farm focuses on sustainable farming, which means growing food in a way that protects the environment.
Images for kids
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Witherspoon at Al Asad Airbase in 2009
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Witherspoon at the Panthers training camp in 2005.
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Witherspoon during second stint with Rams. 2013
