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No. 21 | |||||||
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Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | January 6, 1966||||||
Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||
Weight: | 192 lb (87 kg) | ||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | Douglas Byrd (Fayetteville, North Carolina) | ||||||
College: | Clemson | ||||||
NFL draft: | 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Donnell Woolford (born January 6, 1966) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Chicago Bears. He was selected by the Bears in the first round (11th overall) of the 1989 NFL draft. Woolford played 10 seasons for the Bears from 1989 to 1997, the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1997 to 1998 and Carolina Panthers from 1998-1999. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 1994. Woolford was surpassed by Charles Tillman for the most interceptions by a Bears cornerback, although Donnell achieved the goal 18 games faster than Tillman. [1] [2] Woolford was a graduate of Douglas Byrd High School in Fayetteville, NC and Clemson University.
Donnell Woolford was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 6, 1966. [3] He attended high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina at Douglas Byrd High School, where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball, and track.
In 1985, Woolford first arrived at Clemson, where he had been recruited to play running back. Although he and the school initially wanted him to play running back, due to the number of running backs in camp, he decided to try a different position. Cornerback had the fewest number of players, and although he believed it to be the "hardest position to play", Woolford made the switch to cornerback. [4]
Woolford went on to play for the Tigers from 1985 to 1988, where he was a two time All-American, earning second-team honors in 1987, and becoming a consensus All-American in 1988, and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's best defensive back. He was a two time First-team All-Acc selection, recording 10 interceptions during his career. He also played punt returner, leading the ACC and finishing third nationally in 1987 with two returns for touchdowns and a 15.5 yard average per return. During his time at Clemson, the Tigers won 3 conference championships (1986, 1987, 1988) and won three bowl games (against Stanford in 1986, Penn State in 1987, and Oklahoma in 1988). Clemson finished ranked in the top 10 nationally in both 1987 and 1988. [5]
He was later voted as one of the Greatest Clemson Tigers of the 20th Century, and inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame. [6]
During the 1989 NFL Draft, Woolford was selected in the first round, 11th overall by the Chicago Bears. [7] He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1994 and was a three time All Madden Team Member during his career. At one point, he had the record for most interceptions by a Chicago Bear with 32 total interceptions. This was surpassed in 2013 by Charles Tillman. Woolford started every game for Chicago from 1989-1996, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he recorded 4 more interceptions, for a career total of 36. [8] He retired from the NFL after suffering a career ending knee injury. [9]
Upon retirement, Woolford returned to Fayetteville where he helped coach high school football. He later coached at East Lincoln High School in Denver, North Carolina. He was co-owner of the Fayetteville Ruff Riders football team from 2004-2005 [10] He was Clemson's legend representative at the 2014 ACC Championship Game. [11] He was a graduate assistant coach with the Clemson national championship team in 2016, and was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2017. Woolford is now associated with an auto warranty service, and also serves as president of the Donnell Woolford Foundation, assisting the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the Jimmy Raye Clinic coaching local youth. [12]
He donated land for the building of World Faith Ministries in Hope Mills, North Carolina, and continues to work in community activism as a board member on several non-profit organizations. [13]
Danny Lee Ford is a former American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Alabama from 1967 to 1969. He served as the head football coach at Clemson University from 1978 to 1989 and at the University of Arkansas from 1993 to 1997, compiling a career record of 122–59–5. During his 12 seasons as head coach of the Clemson Tigers, he captured five ACC titles and won six bowl games. Ford's 1981 Clemson team completed a 12–0 season with a win in the Orange Bowl and was named the consensus national champion.
Stephen Ray Fuller is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers, where he was twice named ACC Player of the Year, and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft. Fuller played his first four seasons with the Chiefs and was a member of the Los Angeles Rams during his fifth season. He joined the Chicago Bears in 1984, where he spent four seasons as a backup and was a member of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XX. In his final season, Fuller was a member of the San Diego Chargers.
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Charles Anthony Tillman, nicknamed "Peanut", is an American former football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft.
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Jerry O'Dell Butler is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 to 1986. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers. He was selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft with the fifth overall pick. Butler was a Pro Bowl selection in 1980. In his career, he caught 278 receptions for 4,301 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Lewis Darnell Tillman is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League. He played for seven seasons for the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Jackson State University and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1989 NFL Draft.
The 1981 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Danny Ford and played their home games in Memorial Stadium. Clemson finished their undefeated 1981 season with a 22–15 victory over the #4 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1982 Orange Bowl, and were voted #1 in the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) polls.
DeMarcus Van Dyke is a former American football cornerback who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Van Dyke is currently the cornerbacks coach for the South Florida Bull football team. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 3rd round, 81st overall of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Byron S. Maxwell is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, where he was a member of the Seahawks' defensive group known as the Legion of Boom. Maxwell also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. He played college football for the Clemson Tigers.
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