N
ick Williams is an American
football defensive end for the
Pittsburgh Steelers of the
National Football League.
He was drafted by the Steelers in the 7th
round of the 2013 NFL Draft after his college career at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Nick was a lightly recruited player out of Minor High School,
having played basketball for two years before switching to football in his senior year.
great football player is made when their are
on the field heroics matches their off the
field heroics. ―It might be easy to impact
people on the field‖, Nick said. ―I find it
honorable when a person goes out in the
community and makes an impact on children‖. He strongly believes that doing great
things for people when the camera isn’t
rolling makes a great football player.
Nick says he gets a rush similar to the
rush he had when he played little league
football. ―It’s a rush like none other‖, he
said. ―It’s indescribable‖. Nick credits God
as being his inspiration when playing football. ―God inspires me to play football to
the best of my ability‖, he said. ―He has
given me great favor and the ability to play
football‖. Nick tries to be a blessing for God
through his talents on and off the football
field. Nick also credits his family and loved
ones for inspiring him to pursue football to
the fullest.
While there are many things Nick enjoys about playing football, he says there is
one thing he enjoys the most. ―I enjoy being able to display my talents that God has
blessed me with while playing football, he
said. As for his talent on the football field,
Nick says his best play he made was when
he played football in high school for the
Minor Tigers. ―I intercepted a pass when
Nick decided to come back to football we were playing Hoover High‖, he said. ―I
when he was a senior at Minor High ran the ball in for a touchdown‖.
School. He played football as a little kid
and really had fun doing it. ―My mom and
Although Nick has experienced great
dad always encouraged me to play every moments since playing professional footsport and be the very best at it‖, he said. ―I ball, he recalls a time when he had to rely
decided to stick with football when I found on his faith. ―I was a Rookie in 2013 in
out I had a full scholarship to play at Sam- training camp‖, he said. ―We had about
ford University‖. Nick says he never knew twelve defensive linemen. Our head coach
how good he was until he started being was only keeping 7 of the 12 including me.‖
mentioned in the all-conference teams. He Nick says he to had to rely on his faith in
started to gain confidence in what he was Jesus Christ that he would make it to end
doing.
of training camp and still be on the team. ―I
did a lot of praying and God assured everything would be ok‖, Nick said. ―I knew that
if football didn’t work out this time, God had
another plan for my life‖.
Nick said there have been a lot of past
athletes that have motivated him to try his
best in sports. ―No one person in particular
motivates me‖, he said. ―I look at a lot of
past athletes in every sport and I get various aspects of their game that I can pull
from that and better myself‖.
Despite Nick’s busy schedule, he always finds time to encourage others who
desire to become a professional football
player. ―If you truly in your heart want to
reach people through your gift that God
has given you in playing football, He will
order your steps to do so‖, Nick said. ―He
will put people in your life that will encourage you as a football player and as a man.
God blesses those who work diligently at
whatever gifts He blesses them with, and I
truly believe that‖. Nick says he believes a
Nick, still a growing Christian, is trying
to fulfill what God has planned for his life.
―Football is just an avenue to be a blessing
to people‖, he said. ―I want to maximize the
avenue to the fullest.‖ Nick was fortunate to
meet his wife, Amy Gonzalez, while enrolled as a student at Samford University.
―She has been such an inspiration to my
life and the people around her by being a
strong woman of God‖, Nick said. ―My family inspires me as well to do my very best
and always do the right things in life‖. Another great accomplishment for Nick was
graduating with a Bachelors of Science in
Public Administration in December of 2012.
―Many athletes get so caught up in sports
that they forget that you can’t play sports
for the rest of your life‖, he said. ―What
never fails you is what you put in your
head‖.
“Doing great things for people when the
camera isn’t rolling makes a great football player”.