Travis Williams (running back)

Travis Williams
No. 23, 25
Date of birth	January 14, 1946
Place of birth	El Dorado, Arkansas, U.S.
Date of death	February 17, 1991 (aged 45)
Place of death	Martinez, California, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)	Running back/ Kick returner
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg)
US college	Arizona State
High school	Harry Ells High School Richmond, CA
NFL draft	1967 / round: 4 / pick: 93
Career history
As player
(1967–1970)	Green Bay Packers
(1971–1972)	Los Angeles Rams
Career highlights and awards
	Super Bowl Champion (II); NFL champion (1967);
Honors	Packers Hall of Fame
Records	NFL single season kick return average 41.1; NFL kick return touchdowns in a single season (4)
Career stats
Rushing yards	1,166
Rush attempts	289
Rushing TDs	6
Receiving yards	598
Receptions	52
	Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com;

Travis Williams (January 14, 1946 – February 17, 1991) was an American football player for the Green Bay Packers. Williams attended Harry Ells High School, Contra Costa College and Arizona State University, before being selected in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft at the insistence of Packers' coach Vince Lombardi. He returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in his rookie season in 1967, setting an NFL record. Among the returns were two in one quarter against the Cleveland Browns to set another league record. He also set the record for single-season kickoff return average with 41.06 yards, returning 18 kickoffs for 739 yards, helping the Packers win their second consecutive Super Bowl championship (Super Bowl II).

Williams played four seasons with the Packers and two with the Los Angeles Rams, before a knee injury ended his career prematurely in the 1972 season. He was traded to the Rams along with the Packers' 4th round draft pick in 1971 in exchange for the Rams' 2nd round pick in 1971 (used to select Virgil Robinson) and a 1972 draft pick.^[1] Williams finished his career with 4,778 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns, 7 of which came on special teams returns. He averaged 16.4 yards per punt return and 27.5 yards per kick return. In his final season, he led the league in yards per kick return, averaging 29.7.^[2]

After his playing career was over, Williams worked a series of odd jobs, collecting junk, driving trucks, working as a bouncer and as a security guard. Later in life, he suffered from alcoholism, particularly after his wife died of a drug overdose in 1985. He was often homeless, sometimes sleeping out of his car. In 1988, he was arrested at a demonstration in front of the office of senator Alan Cranston, protesting cuts to public housing projects.^[3]

Williams died of heart failure on February 17, 1991, at the age of 45.^[4]