Over the past 30 years the University of Washington has become known as Tight End University. However, despite churning out NFL talent year in and year out there was none better than Dave Williams.
Especially in his 1965 All-American season. That season he had 10-reception performances in back-to-back weeks. Those 10 receptions in a game by a tight end is a record that stands nearly 59 years later.
“His 257 receiving yards against UCLA is still number 1 all-time for the Huskies,” his son Steve noted. “His average of 25.7 yards a catch is also tops all-time. Considering the the numbers put up by Mario Bailey, Reggie Williams, John Ross, Rome Odunze and so many other greats in the past 60 years, it’s remarkable that those records still stand.”
The father of TE-U was also the first ever player signed by the Seattle Seahawks in 1975 when he inked a 3-year deal. However, he never saw the field for beloved beloved home team after being injured in an off-season track meet.
“It broke his heart that he never got to play for the Seahawks because he loves the state where he grew up,” Steve said.
He played 8 years pro ball, including 6 in the NFL after being taken by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 16th overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft. In the “Gateway City” for five seasons he started 53 of 67 games in which he played, catching 162 passes, and 22 touchdowns.
His best season he finished 5th in the league with 56 receptions.
After 2 seasons in San Diego with the Chargers and the Pittsburg Steelers, he moved to the startup World Football League for 2 seasons.
“He never received a paycheck from the WFL,” Steven recalled. “After the league folded he was so happy to return to the Pacific Northwest.”
In addition to being an All-American tight end twice for the Huskies and was also a High School All-American at Tacoma’s Lincoln High his senior year. For the Abes, in 1963 he won the state championship in 120 high hurdles.
“College reshmen were ineligible in those days,” Steven noted. “Even so, he lettered 6 times–3 in football and 3 in track.”
In high school Dave was the original freak athlete, lettering 3 times in football, basketball, and track while also playing all-star baseball in the summers. That freakishness continued at Montlake where he was a 6-time All-American–twice in football and each of 4 years in track.
However, he didn’t enter the Washington Hall of Fame in 2014.
RealDawg will have an exclusive story on Dave Williams Monday.
