William Green (American football) facts for kids
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 17, 1979 Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 214 lb (97 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Holy Spirit (Absecon, New Jersey) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Boston College | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 | ||||||||||||
| 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 Green (born December 17, 1979) is a former professional football player. He was a running back for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL). William Green played college football for the Boston College Eagles. He was recognized as an All-American in 2001. The Browns picked him in the first round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played in 46 games for Cleveland from 2002 to 2005.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
William Green was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. When he was young, both of his parents passed away. After this, he was separated from his four brothers and sisters.
Green went to Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, New Jersey. He played for the Holy Spirit Spartans high school football team. He earned many high school All-American awards for his skills.
College Football Career
Green earned a sports scholarship to attend Boston College. He played for the Boston College Eagles football team from 1998 to 2001. In his two years as a starting running back, he ran for over 2,700 yards. He also scored 32 touchdowns during this time.
He was chosen for the first-team All-Big East Conference in 2000 and 2001. In 2001, he was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year. That same year, he was recognized as a first-team All-American. This means he was one of the best college football players in the country.
College Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yards | Avg | TDs | Rec | Yards | TDs |
| 1999 | Boston College | 10 | 49 | 251 | 5.1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2000 | Boston College | 11 | 187 | 1,164 | 6.2 | 14 | 6 | 78 | 1 |
| 2001 | Boston College | 10 | 265 | 1,559 | 5.9 | 15 | 23 | 260 | 2 |
| College Totals | 31 | 501 | 2,974 | 5.9 | 33 | 31 | 343 | 3 | |
Professional NFL Career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m) |
221 lb (100 kg) |
31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) |
7+3⁄4 in (0.20 m) |
4.60 s | 1.60 s | 2.69 s | 42.0 in (1.07 m) |
10 ft 1 in (3.07 m) |
27 reps | |||
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
In the 2002 NFL draft, William Green was considered a top player. The Cleveland Browns chose him as the 16th overall pick in the first round.
Rookie Season Success
As a rookie in 2002, Green played in all 16 regular season games. He started ten of these games. He gained 887 rushing yards and scored six touchdowns. In a key game against Atlanta, Green had a memorable 64-yard touchdown run. This play was famously called "Run William Run!" by the radio announcer.
Challenges and Later Seasons
His 2003 season was difficult due to personal challenges. These challenges led to him being suspended for part of the season. In 2004, Green rushed for 585 yards. In one game, he was ejected before playing for fighting with linebacker Joey Porter.
His last season with Cleveland was in 2005. He played in eight games but was affected by injuries. He gained only 78 yards that season. The Browns later released him due to an injury settlement.
In March 2008, there were reports that Green wanted to play in the NFL again. He worked out at his old college, Boston College. He showed he was in great shape and performed well in drills. However, he did not sign a new contract with any team.
NFL Statistics
Rushing Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Carries | Yards | Yards per Carry | Longest Carry | Touchdowns | First Downs | Fumbles | Fumbles Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CLE | 16 | 243 | 887 | 3.7 | 64 | 6 | 38 | 3 | 1 |
| 2003 | CLE | 7 | 142 | 559 | 3.9 | 26 | 1 | 30 | 5 | 2 |
| 2004 | CLE | 15 | 163 | 585 | 3.6 | 46 | 2 | 30 | 3 | 2 |
| 2005 | CLE | 8 | 20 | 78 | 3.9 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 46 | 568 | 2,109 | 3.7 | 64 | 9 | 102 | 11 | 5 |
Receiving Stats
| Year | Team | Games | Receptions | Targets | Yards | Yards per Reception | Longest Reception | Touchdowns | First Downs | Fumbles | Fumbles Lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | CLE | 16 | 16 | - | 113 | 7.1 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | CLE | 7 | 10 | - | 50 | 5.0 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | CLE | 15 | 14 | - | 84 | 6.0 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | CLE | 8 | 5 | - | 30 | 6.0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 46 | 45 | 0 | 277 | 6.2 | 18 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
Personal Life and Ministry
Before trying to return to the NFL in 2008, William Green became a Christian. He now works as a motivational speaker. He gives talks at businesses, churches, and schools. His speeches often focus on themes like forgiveness and overcoming difficulties. In 2012, he became an ordained minister.
William Green is a father of eight children. Seven of his children are with his wife, Asia Gray. One child is from a previous relationship. All eight children live with him and his wife. They live on a four-acre property in Berlin, New Jersey.
