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) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Holy Spirit (Absecon, New Jersey) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Boston College | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16 | ||||||||||||
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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 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.
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William Green's Early Life
William Green was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He faced tough times early in his life. He lost both his parents when he was young. After his parents' deaths, William was separated from his four brothers and sisters.
William 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 honors for his skills.
College Football Career
William Green earned a scholarship to attend Boston College. He played for the Eagles football teams from 1998 to 2001. As a starting running back for two years, he ran for over 2,700 yards. He also scored 32 touchdowns.
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. He was also recognized as a first-team All-American. This honor came from several important football groups.
College Statistics Overview
William Green had a strong college career.
- In 1999, he rushed for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns.
- In 2000, he gained 1,164 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.
- In 2001, he had his best year with 1,559 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Overall, he rushed for 2,974 yards and 33 touchdowns in college.
Professional Football 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 | ||||||||||||
William Green was a highly-rated player for the 2002 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns picked him as the 16th overall player. This was in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft.
As a rookie in 2002, William played in all 16 regular season games. He started ten of these games. He gained 887 yards rushing and scored six touchdowns. In a key game against Atlanta, he ran for a 64-yard touchdown. This play helped the Browns win and was called "Run William Run!" by a radio announcer.
His 2003 season had some challenges. He was suspended for four games by the league. Later, his fiancée, Asia Gray, was involved in an incident where William was injured. The league extended his suspension for treatment.
In 2004, William gained 585 yards. Before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was ejected for an argument with linebacker Joey Porter.
His last season in Cleveland was in 2005. He played in eight games but was limited by injuries. He gained only 78 yards that season. The Browns later released him.
In March 2008, there were reports that William Green wanted to play in the NFL again. He worked out at his old college, Boston College. He showed he was in "great shape." However, he did not sign a new contract with any team.
NFL Statistics Overview
William Green played 46 games in his NFL career.
- He had 568 rushing attempts for 2,109 yards.
- He scored 9 rushing touchdowns.
- He also caught 45 passes for 277 receiving yards.
William Green's Personal Life
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 forgiveness and overcoming difficulties. In 2012, he became an ordained minister.
William is a father to eight children. Seven of his children are with his wife, Asia Gray. One child is from a previous relationship. All eight children live with William and his wife. They live on a four-acre property in Berlin, New Jersey.
