NFL to Honor Doug Williams on Super Bowl Sunday
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Jan 29, 2008 - Twenty years ago, almost to the day, Doug Williams enjoyed the finest moment of his professional career.
Williams' four touchdown passes in the Washington Redskins' Super Bowl XXII rout of the Denver Broncos earned him MVP honors, not to mention memories that will last a lifetime.
But Super Bowl XXII wasn't just a personal milestone for Williams, who started his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978. It was also a watershed moment for the league. The first African-American quarterback ever to start in a Super Bowl, Williams made the most of his chance at history, and the NFL had reason to celebrate.
Which is exactly what they will do this Sunday, 20 years and three days after Williams' big day. On Monday, the NFL announced that it will salute Williams and his accomplishments during the postgame presentation for the Super Bowl XLII victors.
Williams, now a personnel executive for the Buccaneers, will participate in the Vince Lombardi Trophy ceremony at the conclusion of Sunday's game. The ceremony will be televised live by FOX from University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, the site of Super Bowl XLII between New England and the New York Giants.
The celebration of Williams' career will be shared by many. Watched by nearly 140 million viewers in the U.S. last year, the Super Bowl is annually the nation’s highest-rated TV program. The game will be broadcast worldwide in more than 230 countries and territories.
Williams joins the ranks of Hall of Fame coaches Don Shula and Bart Starr as legends saluted in previous Lombardi Trophy ceremonies, which was expanded in 2006 to include a great from a prior Super Bowl. Shula participated in last year’s ceremony, while Starr was featured as part of Super Bowl XL in Detroit.
In the Redskins' 42-10 win over the Broncos, Williams completed 18 of 29 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns, all in the second quarter. Washington set a Super Bowl record by scoring 35 points in the second period to pull away from the Broncos. At the time, Williams tied or set Super Bowl records for most touchdown passes, most yards passing, longest pass completion and longest touchdown pass (both 80 yards).
Williams retired in 1989 from the NFL and went into coaching, including replacing the legendary Eddie Robinson in 1997 as the head coach at Grambling State, his alma mater. He rejoined the Buccaneers in 2004.
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02-01-2008, 09:36 AM
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