Former Vanderbilt, San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmy Williams dies
Former San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmy Williams has died, the team announced on Friday afternoon. Williams was just 43 years old and played in the NFL for eight seasons.
“The 49ers mourn the passing of alumni Jimmy Williams,” the 49ers said in a statement via social media. “Our organization sends its condolences to his wife, Chandra, and the entire Williams family.”
Williams was a native of Baton Rouge, LA, but played his college football for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He spent four seasons in Nashville, serving as both a cornerback and punter returner. Although, he began his career as a running back and proved to be one of the Commodores’ best players, leading the team in rushing yards, return yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Williams was named to the SEC All-Freshman squad but still moved to the defensive side of the ball.
From there, he was able to earn All-SEC honors and eventually heard his name called in the 2001 NFL Draft. The Buffalo Bills selected Williams in the sixth round but he never made their active roster. San Francisco ended up signing the defensive back, where he still continued his punt return duties for the 49ers.
After the 2004 season, Williams only played for two other teams. The Seattle Seahawks had him on its roster during a Super Bowl run in 2005, while his final team was the Houston Texans during the 2008 season. With a career that spanned over eight seasons, Williams called it quits.
Overall, Williams finished with 134 career tackles, three interceptions, and 13 passes defended.
Williams returned to Baton Rouge after retiring, coaching middle school football and giving back to where he was originally from. Eventually, he worked up to the high school ranks, serving as the defensive coordinator and assistant athletic director at Episcopal High School.