Jamal Willis

Last updated

Jamal Willis
No. 24
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1972-12-12) December 12, 1972 (age 52)
Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school:Bonanza
(Las Vegas, Nevada)
College: BYU
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:11
Games started:1
Rushing yards:35
Rushing average:2.9
Kickoff returns:17
Kickoff return yards:427
Kickoff return average:25.1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Jamal Willis (born 1972) is a local level leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former NFL football player. He also works in administration for the Alpine School District in Utah.

Willis was born in Oklahoma. He attended BYU on a football scholarship as a running back and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a student there. [1] He played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers in 1995. [2] He also served as a kickoff returner. [3] His season was cut short after 11 games with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a game against the Carolina Panthers. [3] He was cut by the 49ers after the first game of the 1996 season. [4] [5]

On January 7, 2018, Willis was called as a counselor in the Genesis Group presidency. [6] Like all other members of the presidency, Willis is of African descent. He had not even previously attended the Group, but had been invited to attend while a student at BYU before he joined the LDS Church. [7]

Willis has in the past been the football coach for Payson High School. [8] He currently works as an administrator, evidently for Alpine School District over schools in Saratoga Springs, Utah. [9]

Sources

Specific
  1. ↑ Harmon, Dick (November 18, 1991). "Willis is BYU's newest star receiver/running back". The Daily Herald. p. 7. Retrieved July 1, 2025– via newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Crumpacker, John (November 12, 1995). "As they grow older, 49ers find replacing injured stars quickly a difficult task". San Francisco Examiner. pp. C1, C4. Retrieved July 1, 2025– via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Georgatos, Dennis (December 14, 1995). "49ers present award to injured Floyd". Enterprise-Record. pp. C1, C4. Retrieved July 1, 2025– via newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Injuries continue to plague 49ers". Merced Sun-Star. September 5, 1996. p. B3. Retrieved July 1, 2025– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "49ers sign cornerback Williams". Sacramento Bee. September 4, 1996. p. E5. Retrieved July 1, 2025– via newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Peggy Fletcher Stack. "Black Mormon Support Group Laments Loss Of Their Prophet Champion, Looks to the Genesis of Even Greater Influence" in Salt Lake Tribune, January 9, 2017
  7. ↑ Trent Toone. "One of the Best Kept Secrets in the Church: Former BYU Running Back thrilled to be part of Genesis Group Leadership". In Deseret News, January 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Provo Daily Herald article on Willis ending time as football coach". Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  9. ↑ Tad Walch. "LDS Church Reorganizes Genesis Group Leadership". Deseret News, January 7, 2018.
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