Willie Wood (American football)
- 8 × Pro Bowl selection (1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970)
- 7 × All-Pro selection (1962, 1964-1969 ) 1 2 team
- 5 × NFL Champion (1961, 1962, 1965-1967 )
- 2 × Super Bowl winners (I, II)
- NFL 1960s All- Decade Team
- Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
William Vernell " Willie" Wood ( born December 23, 1936 in Washington, DC, USA ) is a former American football player and coach. He played as a safety in the National Football League ( NFL) with the Green Bay Packers.
Youth
Willie Wood attended Armstrong High School in his native city, where he also played baseball in addition to American football. His father was a painter and his mother worked in a post office. His parents were still divorced during his childhood, he grew up, therefore, mostly with his grandparents on. He spent his spare time in a youth club, which was run by the local police. The local sports coach Bill Butler also helped him to get a scholarship to USC. Although it offers many templates Colleges, he wanted to study in California. His athletic trainers therefore turned to the College in Berkeley, pointed to his abilities back and after a year of waiting time at a junior college, he could begin his studies there.
Playing career
Willie Wood studied from 1957 to 1959 at the University of Southern California. Wood was the first black quarterback at his college and in the entire league. After graduating, he was drafted by any professional club. Again, it was his old coach from the youth club, stood up for him. Bill Butler wrote to various NFL clubs, but only the coach of the Green Bay Packers Vince Lombardi answered him and allowed Wood to participate in a trial. Wood was able to convince and received as a safety one-year contract with a salary of $ 6,500 (according to other sources, there were $ 10,000 annual salary ). Wood was in his rookie year game initially substitute, but could take over his position in a game against the Baltimore Colts during the season during the sixth matchday due to an injury of a master player. He remained until the end of his career regular for the Packers.
William Wood won five NFL championships with the Packers. After the Packers were in 1960 failed in the final, they could win the title with a 37:0 victory against the New York Giants the following year. The following year, Wood caught nine balls of the opposing quarterbacks, setting a league record. The team from Wisconsin was able to defend her title. They beat the Giants in the final again, this time with 16:7. In 1965, Wood then won his third title. The Cleveland Browns defeated in the final game with the Packers 23:12.
In 1966, Wood won with his team, his fourth title with a 34:7 victory against the Dallas Cowboys .. The victory meant a place in the first AFL- NFL World Championship Game, which was later renamed Super Bowl I. Enemies in the game were the Kansas City Chiefs. Wood should have contributed significantly to the 35:10 victory of his team. At the beginning of the second half he was a pass from Len Dawson, the quarterback of the Chiefs intercept, and carry over a distance of 50 yards toward the end zone of the Chiefs. Shortly before he was stopped by the Defense of the Chiefs. The Packers were still able to achieve in the next turn before the decisive touchdown to 21:7 .. Bart Starr, the quarterback of the Packers, designated after the Super Bowl the ball gain of Wood as a crucial game.
The year 1967 should be successful for Wood. In the meantime, he earned almost $ 30,000 a year and was one of the best players at his position. After 1966 he won with his team the second ever been played Super Bowl. The path to the final has been difficult. In the NFC playoff they met again on the team from Dallas. The game would go down as the Ice Bowl in the history of the NFL. The game was held at -25 degrees Celsius played on a ice-covered playing field. Wood underwent a serious mistake during the game. He dropped a Puntreturn. For this error out of the kicker the Cowboys a field goal could achieve half-time for the Packers to 14:10. After the break, the Cowboys went with 17:14 lead. Luckily for Wood Starr was able to bring the team from Green Bay shortly before the game ends with 21:17 in leadership and thus lead to victory. In Super Bowl II, the Packers were then superior to the Oakland Raiders, winning in 33:14.
After the 1971 season, Wood finished with 48 interceptions and scored four touchdowns his playing career.
Coaching career
In the years 1974 and 1975 Wood trained as Head Coach of the Philadelphia Bell, a football team from the World Football League. Due to financial problems, the team from Philadelphia in 1975 had set the play mode during the season. 1980 and 1981 he coached the Toronto Argonauts. The Argonauts play in the Canadian Football League ( CFL). Wood was the first black head coach in this league.
Honors
Willie Wood played eight times in the Pro Bowl, the final game of the best players of the season. He was elected to the All-Pro eight times and is a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and in 1989 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After the career
Wood suffered during his professional career multiple severe injuries, where he is still suffering. He is also suffering from dementia and now lives in his native city. Although he earned $ 90,000 in his final year as a pro, he is now impoverished and no longer able to pay the medical bills. He receives a pension from the NFL in the amount of U.S. $ 1,100. In settlement of his accounts, he is dependent on donations.