William Fuller (American football)

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William Fuller
No. 95
Position:
1984
 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:
2
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

William Henry Fuller Jr. (born March 8, 1962) is an American former professional

Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League (USFL), and the Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Diego Chargers of the NFL. Fuller was one of the better pass rushers in the NFL during his time in the league and finished his career with 100.5 sacks. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and selected as an All-American twice while in college. In 2004, Fuller was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. During his career and after his retirement, Fuller has also done considerable work in raising funds for diabetes
research.

Early years

Fuller was born in

Indian River High School,[1] where he lettered in track, basketball, and football.[2] Fuller graduated from Indian River in 1980.[1]

College career

Fuller attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he played defensive line for the

tackles for loss as a sophomore.[3]

As a senior, he had 81 tackles, a team-leading five sacks, and 22 tackles for loss.

linemen
.

While at UNC, Fuller helped lead the Tar Heels to three bowl games, made the All-ACC team three times, and the All-America team twice (1982 and 1983).[5] He graduated in 1986 with a degree in psychology.[2] Fuller was later inducted into UNC's sports hall of fame,[6] and selected as a member of the ACC's 50th Anniversary Football Team in 2002.[5]

Professional career

Fuller was selected by the

1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players by the Los Angeles Rams.[8] Fuller decided to play in the USFL with the Stars, where he played for two seasons, winning two USFL championships and playing with future NFL players such as Bart Oates and Sam Mills
.

Fuller joined the NFL after the USFL folded in 1986 and his rights were subsequently traded by the Rams to the Houston Oilers where he started his career in the NFL. After recording a total of 3 sacks in his first two seasons,[9] Fuller emerged in 1988 and tied for the team lead in sacks with 8.5.[10] He was described as the most improved defensive player on the team by head coach Jerry Glanville.[11]

After recording 14.5 sacks over 1989 and 1990,

$8 Million contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles,[1] in part out of a desire to be closer to his off–season home in Virginia.[13]

He subsequently played three stellar seasons in 1994, 1995, and 1996. He recorded 9.5 sacks in his first season there (1994) and set a team record for most consecutive games with a sack at seven.[14] Fuller had 13 sacks in each of the following two seasons (1995 and 1996),[9] and was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons with the Eagles.[7] After the 1996 season Fuller signed a two-year $5.6 million contract with the San Diego Chargers, while there his production steeply declined.[15]

After two seasons, in which he recorded three sacks each,[9] Fuller retired following the 1998 season. By the time his NFL career ended Fuller had recorded 100.5 sacks becoming one of the few players in NFL history to record more than 100 sacks.[16]

NFL career statistics

Year Team GP Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
Cmb Solo Ast Sck Int Yds TD FF FR Yds TD
1986 HOU 13 22 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987 HOU 12 22 2.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1988 HOU 16 56 8.5 1 9 0 2 0 0 0
1989 HOU 15 42 6.5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1990 HOU 16 50 8.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1991 HOU 16 54 15.0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0
1992 HOU 15 52 8.0 0 0 0 1 1 10 1
1993 HOU 16 37 10.0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
1994 PHI 16 50 44 6 9.5 0 0 0 4 1 0 0
1995 PHI 14 46 35 11 13.0 0 0 0 5 1 0 0
1996 PHI 16 34 27 7 13.0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0
1997 SD 16 29 24 5 3.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1998 SD 13 22 18 4 3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total[9] 194 516 148 33 100.5 2 9 0 19 8 13 1

Personal life

Fuller has four daughters by his wife Precilla, Karen, Krystal, Kimberly, and Kalisa.

United Way and the NFL commercial together during the offseason.[17] The commercial, which featured an organization for the blind, was not aired until two days after his father's death.[17]

Fuller is also a noted philanthropist, who was actively involved in programs relating to

Boys' Clubs of America during his time in the NFL.[4] He hosts the William Fuller Tournament in Houston for JDRF (formerly Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).[6] The event has raised over $1 million for research to cure diabetes,[6] and Fuller himself has helped raise over $3 million for diabetes research.[13]

Fuller currently owns and operates his own

UFL
team.

References

  1. ^ a b c Robinson, Tom. You can go home again; Just ask William Fuller, The Virginian-Pilot, March 28, 1996, accessed February 26, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c William Fuller, espn.com, accessed March 12, 2009.
  3. ^ All-America Julius Peppers, cstv.com, accessed April 30, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d William Fuller, chargers-stats.com, accessed February 27, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b c "ACC Announces 50th Anniversary Football Team". National Football Foundation. July 23, 2002. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e f The Class of 2004: William Fuller, virginiasportshalloffame.com, accessed March 4, 2007. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b c William Fuller, sportingnews.com, accessed February 26, 2007.
  8. ^ "1984 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  9. ^ a b c d e f William Fuller Archived 2007-02-07 at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 26, 2007.
  10. The Houston Chronicle
    , August 7, 1989, accessed April 2, 2007.
  11. ^ McClain, John. Sack man/William Fuller setting pace for improved Oiler defense, The Houston Chronicle, September 4, 1988, accessed April 2, 2007.
  12. ^ 1991 NFL Sacks, jt-sw.com, accessed April 30, 2007.
  13. ^ a b c Kravitz, Gary. Where Are They Now: DE William Fuller, philadelphiaeagles.com, December 17, 2004, accessed April 2, 2007. Archived March 17, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ William Fuller Career notes, espn.com, accessed March 12, 2009.
    *Eagles Timeline, philadelphiaeagles.com, accessed February 27, 2007.
  15. ^ King, Peter. Inside the NFL: Dispatches, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, November 19, 1997, accessed February 26, 2007.
  16. ^ All time leaders: sacks, espn.com, accessed February 26, 2007.
  17. ^ a b c Ducibella, Jim. Injury only compounds Fuller's season of grief, The Virginian-Pilot, October 15, 1995, accessed February 26, 2007.
  18. ^ Krumrie, Matt. "Just" Coach Fuller, nflhs.com, accessed April 30, 2007. Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine