William Gay (cornerback) facts for kids
Gay with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007
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| Washington Commanders | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Assistant defensive backs coach | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 1, 1985 Tallahassee, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 192 lb (87 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | James S. Rickards (Tallahassee) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Louisville (2003–2006) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2007 / Round: 5 / Pick: 170 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
William Gay (born January 1, 1985) is an American football coach and former player. He played as a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He is now an assistant defensive backs coach for the Washington Commanders.
Gay played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the 2007 NFL draft. He won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2009. He also played for the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants.
Contents
William Gay: From Player to Coach
Growing Up and Early Sports
William Gay was born on January 1, 1985, in Tallahassee, Florida. He went to James S. Rickards High School in Tallahassee. There, he was a star athlete in both football and track and field.
In football, he played many positions. He was a quarterback, wide receiver, and safety. As a junior, he gained over 1,200 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. In his senior year, he had 1,035 passing yards and 1,237 receiving yards. He also made 82 tackles and 9 interceptions as a defensive back.
Gay was also very fast in track and field. He ran the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash. He also competed in the long jump. He was known for his speed, running the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.
College Football Journey
Gay played college football at the University of Louisville. He played in 46 games for the Louisville Cardinals. During his time there, he made 134 tackles.
One notable moment happened in 2006. In a game against Rutgers, Gay was offside on a field goal attempt. This gave Rutgers a second chance to kick. They made the second kick, and Louisville lost the game. This loss ended their chance for a National Championship.
Playing in the NFL
William Gay was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. He was the 170th player picked overall. He signed a three-year contract with the team.
First Years with the Steelers (2007-2011)
In his first year (2007), Gay played in all 16 games. He made 19 tackles. In 2008, he got more playing time due to injuries to other players. He helped the Steelers have a very strong defense.
On December 14, 2008, Gay made his first career interception. The Steelers finished the season with a 12-4 record. They went on to win Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals. Gay made 2 tackles in that Super Bowl victory.
In 2009, Gay became a starting cornerback for the Steelers. He had a career-high 78 tackles that season. In 2010, he helped the Steelers reach Super Bowl XLV. They lost to the Green Bay Packers, but Gay scored a touchdown on a fumble return in the AFC Championship game. In 2011, he started a career-high 15 games and had 61 tackles.
Time with the Arizona Cardinals (2012)
In 2012, Gay signed with the Arizona Cardinals. He played one season there. He made 57 tackles and had 2 interceptions. After the season, he was released by the Cardinals.
Return to the Pittsburgh Steelers (2013-2017)
In 2013, William Gay returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He signed a new contract with them. That year, he scored his first career touchdown by intercepting a pass against the Cleveland Browns.
In 2014, Gay had an amazing season. He returned three interceptions for touchdowns. This was the most in the NFL that year. It was also a record for the Steelers in a single season. He became known for his unique celebration dance after scoring.
In 2015, Gay became the Steelers' top cornerback. He tied a team record for most career interceptions returned for touchdowns. He finished the season with 58 tackles and 2 interceptions. In 2016, he continued to play an important role, making 42 tackles. He was released by the Steelers in 2018.
Short Stint with the New York Giants (2018)
In April 2018, Gay signed with the New York Giants. However, he was released by the team in September of the same year.
Life After Playing
After his playing career, William Gay became a football coach. In 2023, he joined the Dallas Cowboys as a coaching intern. In February 2024, he was hired by the Washington Commanders. He is now an assistant defensive backs coach for the team.
Gay has also used his experiences to help others. When he was young, his grandmother raised him and his siblings. He has shared his story to raise awareness about domestic violence. In 2017, he was honored by being inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2018, he got engaged to Olympic sprinter Natasha Hastings.
