Position: Cornerback / Safety College: Baylor Education Baylor University High school: Ball (TX) Weight 86 kg | Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Role American football player Place of birth: Galveston, Texas Name Robert Williams | |
Date of birth: (1962-10-02) October 2, 1962 (age 53) | ||
Robert Cole Williams (born October 2, 1962) is a former American football defensive back who played professionally in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He was one of very few players to have a successful career after being signed as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL players strike.
Contents
- Early years
- Washington Redskins first stint
- Dallas Cowboys
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Washington Redskins second stint
- Personal life
- References
Early years
Williams was a standout running back at Galveston's Ball High School. He was also a long jumper, ran on all relay teams, and was a standout hurdler.
He was recruited to Baylor University in 1981 where he played for Grant Teaff. Williams redshirted his freshman year and would play running back throughout his college career.
Washington Redskins (first stint)
Williams was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent wide receiver in 1986. He played in just two pre-season games before he was waived prior to the start of the season.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys were intrigued by his combination of size and speed, and signed him as a free agent prior to the 1987 season. Dallas already had Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker as their running backs so Coach Tom Landry planned to turn Williams into a defensive back to take advantage of his speed. Again, though, he was waived before the season started.
After the players went on a strike on the third week of the season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16 game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. Williams was re-signed to be a part of the Cowboys replacement team, that was given the mock name "Rhinestone Cowboys" by the media. He started at right cornerback and played well enough during those games that the Cowboys kept him on for the rest of the season, mainly as a backup and on special teams.
In 1988, former Baylor teammate Ron Francis entered the season as the starter at right cornerback, before dislocating his left shoulder during an intrasquad game in pre-season. The injury allowed Williams to win the position outright until 1991, when Manny Hendrix replaced him as the starter.
On September 21, 1992, he was placed on the injured reserve list because of a right knee injury. He was one of two players declared inactive for Super Bowl XXVII (the other was Alan Veingrad). He was released on October 12, 1993.
Williams won two Super Bowl rings as a member of the Cowboys.
Kansas City Chiefs
Williams signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 and was cut on March 29, 1994.
Washington Redskins (second stint)
He signed with the Washington Redskins in August 1994, but was waived after playing in two pre-season games and would later announce his retirement.
Personal life
Williams is an assistant track coach and football coach at Jesuit College Preparatory School Of Dallas.