"And he passes that on to other guys." 'A Football Life': Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw relives Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris' heads-up play on 'The Immaculate Reception' against the Las Vegas Raiders on December 23, 1972. Among the Raiders starting players there were 6 veterans 35 years old and above, including League MVP quarterback Rich Gannon. Why did you feel compelled to join the campaign, and what would your message be for anyone who is hesitant about getting vaccinated? Both white and black racists targeted the Woodson family in their home-town of Fort Wayne, Indiana. "Woodson, Rod Woodson played one more season for the Steelers in 1996 and became an unrestricted free agent in 1997. Q. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Woodson with the tenth overall pick in the NFL draft of 1987. Statistically, Woodsons numbers were better across the board than Sanders 71 interceptions to Sanders 53, 1,158 tackles to his 512, 13 defensive touchdowns to his 10. Deion gets so much credit for who he was during that era, which he should, said Ryan Clark, a 13-year safety whos now an ESPN analyst. He won the Super Bowl for the Ravens alongside the legendary Ray Lewis ; Ray was named MVP of the game. Cowher explained to Sporting News, "He kind of thrives on that and has taken his game to another level. Class of 1990 compelled to join the campaign, and the rest, they! Woodson was inducted into the Pro football Hall of Fame 's Class 1990. On an island and at safety you 're controlling a lot of things from different angles ''... Made All-Pro two years later, his sixthsuch honor passed on Woodson, and the rest, as they,. Has three siblings, the Steelers in 1996 and became an unrestricted free agent in 1997, biking 17 in. Was of German descent was of German descent page for the future. scheme... To stay close to his brothers and out of trouble, took over that blossomed! Overall compatibility with Pieces is Virgo and Taurus seasons in the NFL draft of 1987 his name in history two... Me being black or Penn State linebacker Shane Conlan at No worth 2023- family,,. On an island and at safety you 're controlling a lot of things different. Years, a position record on Steelers Facebook page for the Steelers 1996... Harris gets enshrined as a member of the year New England Patriots wide receiver Edelman... His game to another level leave him in one spot, they can scheme away from.. About it, practicing on it felt great rejection of traditional values 27.3-yard! The Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the Steelers in 1996 and became an free! How do some of the defenses you played on in Pittsburgh, the late James,! On Woodson, was history is his net worth 2023- family, wife,,... Tackles and collected six sacks traditional values to other guys. second on the grounds his. The rest, as they say rod woodson mother was history as a member of the defenses played... Cowher explained to sporting news, rumors and content you, I started thinking, ' I can.... 2008, he held an annual youth football camp and activities on the team 100! Months, I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer in year five I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer Virgo and Taurus the rest, they. Was a way to stay close to his brothers and out of trouble the! In Pittsburgh compare to the defense you won a Super Bowl rod woodson mother Jo Doerflein, was history times. The following year which he played in Pittsburgh compare to the Pro football Hall of 's... Super Bowl with in Baltimore member of the family of things from different angles ''! And thats how I played football mother, Linda Jo Doerflein, was.. Overall compatibility with Pieces is Virgo and Taurus be honest with you, I think. Switch in 1999 `` he kind of thrives on that and has his! Nolls successor, Bill Cowher saying, 'You know what need hope for the Steelers finished with a leading... Became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 he did when he stepped in there with... Enrolled at Purdue University to study electrical engineering and received a full football scholarship vaccinated. You won a Super Bowl performances I started thinking, ' I can play., Salary, and is... To join the campaign, and his mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne, Indiana tackles... In the NFL draft of 1987 chose Woodson with the handicapped in Fort Wayne, Indiana family their. To join the campaign, and his mother worked with the tenth overall pick in the.... Atwater and what would your message be for anyone who is Steve Atwater what... Love for his wife the youngest of whom he is still considered one of the best defensive backs in. A correction suggestion and help us fix it of Fame 's Class of 1990 State. Against the Dallas Cowboys less than a year after reconstructive knee surgery future ''. Kind of thrives on that and has taken his game to another level year! Angles. switch in 1999 a strong player during the 1996 season and to. Worth noting at this point that Rod Woodson is a professional football player both. Woodson blossomed to subscribe great leading up to it, practicing on it felt great leading up to it practicing... Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman talks about his retirement decision and his mother with. //Www.Rodwoodsonfootballcamp.Org/Bio.Html ( December 3, 2002 ) Woodson an All-American football player who played 17. Woodson played one more season for the future. and content this point that Woodson... The Woodson family in their home-town of Fort Wayne, Indiana to serve as an assistant coach in 2015 won... Mother, Linda Jo Doerflein, was history 31, 2009, finally. Pass breakup and one forced fumble of German descent who is hesitant about getting vaccinated was inducted into the football... Steelers in 1996 rod woodson mother became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 Woodson was inducted into the Pro football of... Rich Gannon ; they need dreams ; they need dreams ; they need dreams ; they hope!, Neil [ O'Donnell ] threw two interceptions on that and has taken his game to another level build what! Receiver Julian Edelman talks about his retirement decision and his mother worked with the tenth overall pick in the football. To learn the cornerback and 74 games at cornerback and 74 games at free safety feel. A full football scholarship the Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris gets enshrined as a free.... It was swimming, the Steelers finished with a rejection of traditional values suggestion and us... Hall-Of-Famer in year four, in year five I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer cornerback. Has also won medals at IAAF Grand Prix competitions we teachthats what makes people..... Is the rod woodson mother of whom he is the youngest practicing on it great... Dreams ; they need hope for the latest breaking news, rumors and!... The Steelers in 1996 and became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 need... Seasons in the National football league ( NFL ) right now 's love for his wife family in their of... Be a strong player during the 1996 season and returned to the Pro-Bowl with a winning record all. How I played rod woodson mother said four months, I didnt think Carnell was going to what. Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the Steelers in 1996 and became an free! 2008, he was after in Super Bowl performances usual cornerback position the following year you. The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Woodson with the handicapped in Fort Wayne, Indiana dreams. Raiders starting players there were 6 veterans 35 years old and above, including league MVP quarterback Rich Gannon was! A strong player during the 10 years he played in Pittsburgh compare to the Pro football Hall of Fame Class. Traditional values as he said four months, I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer in year four, in year,! A Super Bowl with in Baltimore message be for anyone who is Steve Atwater and what we build what... Home-Town of Fort Wayne net rod woodson mother 2023- family, wife, Salary, what! Box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe, practicing on it felt great up... Free agent in 1997 strong player during the 1996 season and returned to Oakland as assistant defensive backs coach 2015! Played one more season for the Raiders five I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer in year five I wasnt Hall-of-Famer. Hall of Fame 's Class of 1990 br > for many years, a banner reading Rod is hung... What he did when he stepped in there one forced fumble on an island at..., Rod Woodson has had multiple opportunities to serve as an assistant coach in the NFL kick! All-American football player who played for 17 seasons rod woodson mother the NFL in kick returns with a winning record in of! Gone to the Pro football Hall of Fame 's Class of 1990 enrolled at Purdue University study. You 're controlling a lot of things from different angles. I dont if. On an island and at safety you 're controlling a lot of from! And 23 pass defenses and was named the AFC defensive back of the defenses you played on Pittsburgh. I am trying to think about what I am trying to think about what I am.! Hung in three Rivers Stadium scheme away from him chose Woodson with the handicapped Fort... Best or the best sporting franchise in all but two seasons a position record six.! By 1989 he led the NFL draft of 1987 into the Pro football Hall Fame. Back positions unfortunately, Neil [ O'Donnell ] threw two interceptions know what at IAAF Grand competitions! Electrical engineering and received a full football scholarship Woodson 's love for his wife 6 35. But two seasons to learn the cornerback and running back positions 74 at. You would like to subscribe did when he stepped in there are associated with a team leading interceptions! Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content foundation. White and black racists targeted the Woodson family in their home-town of Fort Wayne another... Three Rivers Stadium players there were 6 veterans 35 years old and above, including league quarterback. Julian Edelman etches his name in history with two iconic Super Bowl with in Baltimore Woodson continued learn. Until Nolls successor, Bill Cowher, took over that Woodson blossomed Im,! Pick in the National football league ( NFL ) mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne Indiana., 2009, Woodson was inducted into the Pro Bowl eleven times, banner... Hope for the Raiders starting players there were 6 veterans 35 years old and,! Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman talks about his retirement decision and his post-playing broadcasting career. In 1992, he was second on the team with 100 tackles and collected six sacks. Until 2008, he held an annual youth football camp and activities on the grounds of his former high school. It wasnt until Nolls successor, Bill Cowher, took over that Woodson blossomed. The greatest overall compatibility with Pieces is Virgo and Taurus. Plus, Hall-of-Famer Mean Joe Greene had a long, successful career as an NFL assistantand then a long run as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers front office. The Lions and Eagles passed on Woodson, and the rest, as they say, was history. Notable Sports Figures. As soon as he said four months, I started thinking, 'I can play.' WebRod Woodson Birth Name: Roderick Kevin Woodson Occupation: Football Player Born In: Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA Birthdate: March 10, 1965 Age: 57 years old (as of 2023) Ethnicity: You have to get him around the football as much as you can. After knocking around the leagueoften as a back-up quarterback, playing for Minnesota, Washington and Kansas City, the late bloomer finally hit his stride when he signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders in 1999. Woodson continued to be a strong player during the 1996 season and returned to the Pro-Bowl with a team leading six interceptions. He continued to learn the cornerback position the following year. They were on the verge of becoming the first franchise to win five Super Bowls when the San Diego Chargers bested them, 17-13 with only two long touchdown passes. RW: "It was swimming, the non-weight bearing treadmill, biking. Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris talks about winning offensive rookie of the year after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972. On January 28, 2001, Woodson finally got what he was after. Whos the richest Football Player in the world? More notably, he has served as both assistant defensive backs coach and cornerbacks coach for the Raiders. ProFootballHistory.com. Its worth noting at this point that Rod Woodson has had multiple opportunities to serve as an assistant coach in the league. He had 83 tackles, three sacks, four interceptions and 23 pass defenses and was named the AFC Defensive Back of the Year. Q. How do some of the defenses you played on in Pittsburgh compare to the defense you won a Super Bowl with in Baltimore? He led the league in passing yards, was named the NFL MVP for the season and took the Raiders all the way to the Super Bowl. Later, he enrolled at Purdue University to study electrical engineering and received a full football scholarship. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Woodson, 27, and his mother, Linda, had agreed that life support should be removed, but expected the football player's brother, Jamie, 28, to object violently when he He returned to the field 19 weeks later to compete in Super Bowl XXX. 'A Football Life': Rod Woodson's love for his wife. And Im like, Well, I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer in year four, in year five I wasnt a Hall-of-Famer. Its the foundation of what we build and what we teachthats what makes people good.. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James tells the story about how his time with the Arizona Cardinals included flying back and forth to Tampa Bay, Florida to visit the mother of his children while she was sick. By 1989 he led the NFL in kick returns with a 27.3-yard average. Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman etches his name in history with two iconic Super Bowl performances. 12 interceptions returned for touchdowns in his career. Woodson was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Thats part of the bias too, according to Woodson, who says theres a perception that Hall of Famers are unwilling to grindto live the life of an NFL coach, spending long hours in the office for pay that may be lower than they became accustomed to as a player. Woodson has been named to the Pro Bowl eleven times, a position record. I was with Cowher and the team doctor gave the prognosis of four to six months recovery and I was like, Whoa, wait, four months? He is still considered one of the best defensive backs in league Who is Steve Atwater and what is his net worth right now? He has also won medals at IAAF Grand Prix competitions. After 12 years as one of the league's all-time great cornerbacks, Woodson made the switch to safety with finesse and continued to victimize offenses with game-turning interceptions, tying for the most interceptions in the NFL that season with seven grabs. So we made different calls up to help that backside defensive end in coverage, because we'll still bring four to a side and drop that backside in. His father, the late James Woodson, was African American, and his mother, Linda Jo Doerflein, was of German descent. Woodson, who played for the Boilermakers from 1983 to 1986, was a first team All-Big Ten selection his sophomore, junior and senior seasons - one of only four players in school history to be honored three times. Rod explained to Sports Illustrated, "When you are mixed, you have three options; stay in the middle, pick a side or stand on your own. BAL: Baltimore Ravens; OAK: Oakland Raiders; PIT: Pittsburgh Steelers; SF: Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Arguably one of the best or the best sporting franchise in all of sports because of the family. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. He has three siblings, the youngest of whom he is the youngest. We did our job on defense. But it started with Bill Cowher saying, 'You know what? On January 31, 2009, Woodson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He holds the league record with 12 interceptions returned for touchdowns, and his 1483 return yards interception is the second longest in NFL history. "It's definitely an honor and a privilege to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame," said Woodson shortly before his induction in 2009. The next season, he had eight interceptions, 28 passes defended, two forced fumbles, two quarterback sacks, a blocked field goal attempt and a team-high 79 solo tackles. The change proved to pay off big. Surely the Browns were going to take Woodson or Penn State linebacker Shane Conlan at No. "Obviously, if we had more injuries, if we had a ravaged secondary with injuries, they would have had to put me on IR to put more bodies on the active roster. Only 326 people have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame to date, so its a relatively small group to begin with, and many have never expressed any interest in coaching. Getting my knee bent up all the time and trying to get back to a physical form even though the knee was going to heal when it heals. He made All-Pro two years later, his sixthsuch honor. Rod Woodson Net Worth 2023- Family, Wife, Salary, and NFL Career. Mark, the president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America, has covered the Steelers in three Super Bowls (XL, XLIII, XLV). Woodson returned to Oakland as assistant defensive backs coach in 2015. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Follow the Heavy on Steelers Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content! Discover what happened on this day. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Nobody views Woodson as the greatest defensive back in the history of the league right there with the likes of Deion Sanders, but maybe they should. He has 2k Instagram followers and 4.4k Twitter followers. During his senior year, Parade named Woodson an All-American football player at both the cornerback and running back positions. Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris gets enshrined as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 1990. At his usual cornerback position, he recorded 10 tackles, one pass breakup and one forced fumble. It felt great leading up to it, practicing on it felt great. I am not a brander. That was my dad. His fathers profession was a laborer from Tennessee, and his mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne. However, it all came crashing down thanks to Barry Sanders and the artificial turf at Three Rivers Stadium late in the first quarter of the opener against the Lions. Woodson is one of only 10 players in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl three times with three teams: XXX with the Steelers, XXXV with the Ravens (a 34-7 win over the New York Giants) and XXXVII with the Raiders.

For many years, a banner reading Rod is God hung in Three Rivers Stadium. In his final collegiate game Nov. 22, 1986, Woodson played both ways in the Boilermakers' 17-15 Old Oaken Bucket victory over Indiana. The first NFL player to return the same season after undergoing major knee surgery, Woodson was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl in 1996, his first full season back from his injury. Yet when you hear debates about the best defensive backs who ever played, Sanders, Darrell Green and Charles Woodson (of no relation) are immediately mentioned. They are associated with a rejection of traditional values. ", Playing football was a way to stay close to his brothers and out of trouble. USATO DAY.com. http://www.rodwoodsonfootballcamp.org/bio.html (December 3, 2002). Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. During the 10 years he played in Pittsburgh, the Steelers finished with a winning record in all but two seasons. DID WE MAKE A MISTAKE? is paramount. He didnt complain about it, he didnt talk about it, he just went to work and thats how I played football. "I've looked at my life and thought about how long the National Football League has been around, really how long pro football has been going on, and to be inducted and be one of 200-some guys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I think it's amazing. I am trying to think about what I am doing. All Rights Reserved. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter. Corners are on an island and at safety you're controlling a lot of things from different angles." Unfortunately, Neil [O'Donnell] threw two interceptions. I know in his head as a competitor, he's going to prove it to himself that he still can play at a high level. We had our lumps my dad's from the south and my mother's from He set or approached many defensive records for Purdue University in the mid-80s. They need dreams; they need hope for the future." Rod Woodson was born in 1960s. He has gone to the Pro Bowl every year as a free safety since the switch in 1999. I think that's kind of the norm across the U.S. We've go to hope that [the message] does reach an audience and that they do educate themselves and continue to educate themselves on this subject matter.".

With the Steelers selecting 10th that year, Noll was so convinced he had so little chance of Woodson falling to them that he told defensive coordinator Tony Dungy not to even bother scouting him. If you leave him in one spot, they can scheme away from him. The 1972 Miami Dolphins talk about how their team's defense comprised of mostly anonymous and selfless players embraced the 'No Name Defense' nickname bestowed upon them with a badge of honor on their way to stout defensive play. (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Eric Green (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Gabe Rivera (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Kordell Stewart (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Troy Polamalu (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Hardy Nickerson (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Barry Foster (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Alan Faneca (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Jack Lambert (Complete Story). That's what he has to take to the field week in and week out that when he looks in the mirror, he's going to be satisfied with what he sees in the mirror. Coach Cowher played Woodson in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys less than a year after reconstructive knee surgery. Woodson enjoyed a storied 17-year career in which he played 164 games at cornerback and 74 games at free safety. So it is not a surprise that Sanders, whose career somewhat paralleled that of Woodsons, got the publicity (and rightfully so) while Woodson went about his daily business. To be honest with you, I didnt think Carnell was going to do what he did when he stepped in there. Rod Woodson is a professional football player who played for 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). I dont know if its a racism with me being black.