Will Blackwell

Last updated
Will Blackwell
No. 89
Born: (1975-07-09) July 9, 1975 (age 48)
Texarkana, Texas, U.S.
Career information
Position(s) Wide receiver
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight196 lb (89 kg)
College San Diego State
High school Skyline (Oakland, California)
NFL draft 1997 / Round: 2 / Pick: 53
Career history
As player
1997–2001 Pittsburgh Steelers

William Herman Blackwell Jr. (born July 9, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Blackwell was picked in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft with high expectations based on his successful career at San Diego State University, but he played sparingly in five years in the NFL. [1] He now coaches the Skyline High School football team in Oakland, California. [2]

Contents

College

Blackwell decided to attend San Diego State University. Blackwell was WAC freshman of the year in 1994. [3] Blackwell was Individual Statistical Leader with 86 catches and 1206 yards. [4] Blackwell was coached by Dino Babers and Curtis Johnson. [5] [6] Blackwell was a 1000-yard receiver in 1996. [7] Blackwell's combine results were enough to get him to the NFL. [8]

Blackwell was Freshman of the year, 1994 and first team Western Athletic Conference in 1995 and 1996.

College stats

Receiving and Rushing

YearReceiving
RecYdsAvgTD
19945168913.56
199586120714.08
199660100016.711
Total197289614.725

Scoring

YearReceiving
GRecPts
199411636
199512848
199691166
Total25150

NFL

Career stats

YearRushingReceiving
AttYdsAvgTDLngRecYdsAvgTDLng
19972147.00111216814.0146
199800000322979.3124
199900000201869.3026
20000000022311.5014
200100000188.008
Total2147.0006768210.220

Blackwell was part of The Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship, an annual program administered by the NFL Management Council and NFL Player. Blackwell was one of four interns hand picked. [9]

Blackwell was only one of five Steelers to have returned kickoffs for touchdowns (JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2017, Antonio Brown in 2010, Allen Rossum in 2007, Antwaan Randle El in 2002 and Will Blackwell in 2000). [10] [11] In 2001, Blackwell reinjured his left knee in Pittsburgh's 21-3 loss to Jacksonville. Coach Bill Cowher said Blackwell, who missed the first half of last year with a knee injury. [12] Blackwell along with four other LSU players were released August 28, 2012 in the first round of major cuts. [13]

Blackwell spent one month with the St Louis Rams and was cut August 31, 2002. [14]

Personal life

Blackwell lives in California. Blackwell works for Oakland Unified School District. He is a Receiver Coach, Restorative Practice Facilitator and Assistant Athletic Director for McClymonds High School. Blackwell also is the Head Coach for Varsity Baseball and a Community relations liaison.

Blackwell is the African American Male Achievement Program Manager helping Oakland’s public schools fight to save black boys. [15] [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Woodson</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Roderick Kevin Woodson is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest defensive players of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

Joshua Blake Reed is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for eight seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) during the 2000s. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning consensus All-American honors and recognition as the nation's best college receiver. He was selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Faneca</span> American football player (born 1976)

Alan Joseph Faneca is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU), and earned consensus All-America honors. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Steelers, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. A six-time first-team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Faneca won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL, defeating the Seattle Seahawks. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 and on May 10, 2021, he was introduced as the head football coach of Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Malone</span> American football player (born 1958)

Mark M. Malone is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaynell Tinsley</span> American football player and coach (1915–2002)

Gaynell Charles "Gus" Tinsley was an American football end and coach. He played for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) from 1937 to 1938 and in 1940. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, where he was a consensus All-American. He was drafted in the second round of the 1937 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, with whom he was an All-NFL selection in 1937 and 1938. During his three years in the NFL, Tinsley set or tied NFL single-season records with 674 receiving yards in 1937 and 41 pass receptions in 1938. He later served as the head football coach at LSU from 1948 to 1954. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956 as a player.

Gordon Scott Appleton was an American football defensive tackle in the American Football League (AFL) for the Houston Oilers, San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders. He played college football at the University of Texas, which won the national championship in 1963. Appleton was a consensus 1963 All-American and won the Outland Trophy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacoby Jones</span> American football player (born 1984)

Jacoby Rashi'd Jones is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Lane College, and was selected by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played for the Texans from 2007 to 2011. Jones then played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2012 to 2014, and was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2012. He is known for two of the most memorable plays in the 2012 NFL playoffs as a member of the Ravens: catching a 70-yard game-tying touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation in the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Denver Broncos, which helped lead the Ravens to an eventual 38–35 double overtime victory; and a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers, the longest play in Super Bowl history. He also played for the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015 and the Monterrey Steel of the National Arena League in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrius Heyward-Bey</span> American football player (born 1987)

Darrius Ramar Heyward-Bey is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Maryland, and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders seventh overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 1977 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-8 Conference during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bill Walsh, Stanford ended the regular season with an 8–3 record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vontaze Burfict</span> American football player (born 1990)

Vontaze DeLeon Burfict Jr. is an American former professional football player who played linebacker for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils, earning first-team All-American honors. Burfict was a projected top pick in the 2012 NFL draft until an unimpressive NFL Combine performance and character concerns led to him not being selected. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bengals, where he spent his first seven seasons. In his final season, he was a member of the Oakland Raiders. He is regarded as one of the most controversial players of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Benjamin</span> American football player (born 1989)

Travis Benjamin is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at the University of Miami. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Mettenberger</span> American football player (born 1991)

Zachary Rich Mettenberger is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, primarily with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football at LSU and was selected by the Titans in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL draft. After two seasons in Tennessee as a backup, Mettenberger had an offseason stint with the San Diego Chargers before spending his final NFL year as a backup for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016. Mettenberger last played professionally with the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019. He began a coaching career the following year and has been an analyst for the University of Alabama since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Hunter</span> American football player (born 1991)

Justin Parker Hunter is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Tennessee. Hunter was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobi Hamilton</span> American football player (born 1990)

Cobi Hamilton is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Arkansas. He was considered one of the top wide receiver prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Landry</span> American football player (born 1992)

Jarvis Charles Landry is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at LSU and was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. With the Dolphins, Landry made three Pro Bowls and with the Browns, earned two more Pro Bowls. He led the league in receptions in 2017 with 112. His 564 career receptions are the most by a player through their first six seasons in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martavis Bryant</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

Martavis Alexander Bryant is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Bryant has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, the Dallas Cowboys, the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL), the Beasts of Fan Controlled Football (FCF), and the Vegas Vipers of the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammie Coates</span> American football player (born 1993)

Sammie Coates Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Auburn, where he played in the 2013 SEC Championship Game and 2014 BCS National Championship Game, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Roughnecks, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Elks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JuJu Smith-Schuster</span> American football player (born 1996)

John Sherman"JuJu" Smith-Schuster is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. During the 2022 season, Smith-Schuster won Super Bowl LVII during his only season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eli Rogers</span> American football player (born 1992)

Eli Lamar Rogers is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2015.

The 2017 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Clay Helton. They finished the season 11–3, 8–1 in Pac-12 play to be champions of the South Division. They represented the South Division in the Pac-12 Championship Game where they defeated Stanford to become Pac-12 Champions. They were invited to play in the Cotton Bowl where they were soundly defeated at the hands of Ohio State, 24–7.

References

  1. ↑ "1997 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  2. ↑ DeWitt, Nick. "The 10 Biggest Draft Mistakes in Pittsburgh Steelers History". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  3. ↑ "Google Books". books.google.com. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  4. ↑ "Google Books". books.google.com. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  5. ↑ "Syracuse University Athletics - 2017 Football Coaching Staff". cuse.com. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  6. ↑ "Football Bowl Guide" (PDF). static.hurricanesports.com/custompages/old_site/pdf/m-footbl/bowlguide.pdf.
  7. ↑ "Aztecs rally past UW". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  8. ↑ "Will Blackwell | WR | San Diego State - NFL Combine Results". nflcombineresults.com. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  9. ↑ "Coaches join Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship". swac.org. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  10. ↑ Bires. "Steelers Get A Good Return on Logan" (PDF).
  11. ↑ Marczi, Matthew (January 1, 2018). "JuJu Smith-Schuster's Kick Return Score The First For Steelers Since Antonio Brown In 2010".
  12. ↑ "Will Blackwell, Steelers Blackwell, a wide receiver..." tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  13. ↑ "Ex-LSU players Will Blackwell, Ryan Baker among cuts at NFL camps". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  14. ↑ "2002 St. Louis Rams Transactions: Free Agency, Trades & more". www.foxsports.com. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  15. ↑ "Will Blackwell".
  16. ↑ "How Oakland's public schools are fighting to save black boys". MSNBC. Retrieved 2018-01-28.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.