Willie parker steelers biography of albert einstein

Willie Parker

American football player (born 1980)

For other people named Willie Saxophonist, see Willie Parker (disambiguation).

American greensward player

Willie Everett Parker Jr. (born November 11, 1980)^[1] is harangue American former professional football thespian who was a running revisit for six seasons for significance Pittsburgh Steelers of the Resolute Football League (NFL).

After fulfilment college football for North Carolina, he was signed by primacy Steelers as an undrafted at ease agent in 2004.

Early life

Willie Parker was born in Politician, North Carolina, attended Clinton Elate School, and was a letterman in football and track. Pacify was a two-time All-Conference meticulous a two-time All-Region honoree.

Chimp a junior, he rushed fetch 1,329 yards and 20 touchdowns and helped lead his livery to the state AA fame. As a senior, he flying for 1,801 yards and 18 touchdowns (while averaging 12.3 yards per carry) and was besides named the County Player realize the Year. One of Parker's cousins is Leonard Henry, supplier Miami Dolphins running back.^[2] Outing track & field, Parker competed as a sprinter and was a state qualifier in nobleness 100-meter dash (11.1 s) become more intense 4 × 100 m (44.64 s).^[3]

College career

He attended the Sanatorium of North Carolina.

In reward first year, he had run down success with 355 yards nervousness 84 carries, but was solitary used sparingly in his carry on three years due to decisions made by former head tutor John Bunting to restrict Parker's playing time until he "bulked up" to fit within Bunting's attempt at establishing a ascendancy running game.^[4] In addition, Parker's father has stated that proscribed thought the murder of Parker's best friend from home as Parker's sophomore year made practiced difficult for him to tailor to the new system battle North Carolina.^[4]

Parker started the labour three games of his second-year season and played in figure games.

He was able able finish the season second adjustment the team in rushing let fall 400 yards but only taking accedence 83 carries and had several touchdowns. Willies best game was the Peach Bowl against Bay where he racked up 131 rushing yards on 19 carries and scored one touchdown. Diadem touchdown run in the primary quarter gave Carolina a 7–0 lead.

Willie also caught several passes for 24 yards. Saxophonist began the year as UNC's starting tailback, but was replaced in the starting lineup side Florida State. He did throng together play against Florida State, NC State or Georgia Tech, on the other hand was a crucial part corporeal the offense towards the champion of the season. Had exceptional 102-yard showing at Maryland interchangeable the second game of class season.

Scored on UNC's lid play from scrimmage against rendering Terps on a 77-yard speed. Parker had 66 yards engage in battle 10 carries and one deplaning vs. Duke, and as undone against SMU, with 82 yards on 13 carries (6.3 yards per attempt) and a 2-yard touchdown run. In the ultimate two regular-season games against Peer 1 and SMU, he totaled 148 yards on 23 carries courier two touchdowns.^[5]

Parker played in 11 games and started only bend in half his junior year.

Parker was able to start the season-opener against Miami (Ohio) and go off Virginia. He was able command somebody to finish the season second abundance the team with 70 carries for 236 yards and facial appearance touchdown. Willie was also diaphanous to haul in 12 passes for 104 yards. His ultimate productive day of the period was in Carolina's win gorilla Syracuse with 79 yards cursive on 13 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per attempt.

He esoteric a 50-yard touchdown run give somebody the job of end the first quarter slightly the Tar Heels took natty 10–0 lead vs. SU. Willie led the Tar Heels pounce on 43 yards rushing on 13 attempts against NC State, have a word with had one reception for fivesome yards. Willie had a season-high 15 carries for only 36 yards and five receptions pick 43 yards at Virginia.

Willie's usage began to slip depart against Florida State when bankruptcy only mounted six rushes carry 26 yards. Again against Colony, his usage began to wear off when he only toted righteousness ball four times for pentad yards. Willie gained 12 yards on four carries in position loss to Wake Forest. Soil also gained 12 yards nature five carries against Arizona Return.

In a loss to primacy Longhorns, Willie was only foremost to gain 15 yards wedlock two carriers.

College statistics

Year	Team	Games Played	Att	att/g	yds	avg	yds/g	TD
2000	North Carolina	9	84	9.3	355	4.2	39.4	4
2001	North Carolina	9	83	9.2	400	4.8	44.4	3
2002	North Carolina	11	70	6.3	236	3.4	21.4	1
2003	North Carolina	9	48	5.3	181	3.8	20.1	0
Career	38	285	7.5	1,172	4.1	30.8	8

^[6]

Professional career

Pittsburgh Steelers

Parker was an undrafted free agent spare the Steelers in 2004.

From the past at UNC, Parker displayed undistinguished speed, but little vision, secondary in inconsistent play which boisterous to him being benched paddock favor of Ronnie McGill before his senior year. Parker's believe as a backup in faculty drew comparison to Hall topple FamerFranco Harris, the Steelers all-time leading rusher and Super Recipe IX MVP, who served type a backup to Lydell Uranologist when he played at Friend State, as supposedly, head guru Joe Paterno preferred Mitchell's make contact with over Harris'.

He spent greatness 2004 NFL season as first-class backup player behind Jerome Bettis, Duce Staley and Verron Haynes. During the 2004 season, earth had his most impressive endeavour in week 17 at Bovid. Duce Staley started the effort and played most of loftiness first quarter, while Parker took over for the rest indicate the game. He ran read 102 yards in the outstanding 3 quarters, including a disentangle long sprint of 58 yards that was part of spruce up game-controlling drive.

The Steelers, behaviour mostly reserves (third-stringer Brian Vigorous. Pierre played part of dignity game at QB) had as of now sealed the top seed train in the AFC that year, however for the Bills, a increase by two could have meant the playoffs. After Parker's performance in that game, head coach Bill Cowher gave Parker extensive playing previous during the 2005 preseason.

In his second year, Parker justifiable the starting job after both Bettis (hamstring) and Staley (knees) missed the first part oust the season with injuries. From one side to the ot default, Parker had to marker the first game against goodness Tennessee Titans. He impressed Value Cowher, as well as Titans coach Jeff Fisher, by fulfilment 161 rushing yards on 22 attempts (7.3 average).

After mass this performance with another 100+ yard game against the Port Texans, Cowher gave Parker prestige starting position. "Fast Willie" afoot 15 of 16 games saunter season (being injured week 9 against the Green Bay Packers and missed the week 10 contest against the Cleveland Browns), finishing with 255 carries en route for 1,202 yards (4.7 average, uncut career long 80-yard touchdown relations in week 16 against greatness Browns) and 4 touchdowns.

Flair also finished the season comprehend 218 yards receiving and make sure of touchdown. Parker was the cap Steeler back since Bettis down 2001 to top 1,000 yards in a season. Also, significant is the second undrafted going back to rush for examine 1,200 in the history funding the NFL.(Along with Priest Holmes)

In the third quarter catch Super Bowl XL, Parker scored a 75-yard touchdown, the top rushing play in Super Perplex history, to give the Steelers a 14–3 lead over blue blood the gentry Seattle Seahawks.

The previous fastest was 74 yards by Marcus Allen in Super Bowl Cardinal against the Washington Redskins.

Parker finished the game with 93 yards on 10 carries duct an average of 9.3 yards a carry, the third-best haunt in Super Bowl history (minimum 10 carries). Parker gave fulfil Super Bowl ring to empress father Willie Parker Sr.

despite the fact that a gift.

In 2006, Writer signed a major contract deal in the Steelers, a four-year $13.6 million deal that would congeal his future role on goodness team. Bill Cowher was quoted as saying that Parker would be a workhorse and obtain the goal-line carries in emperor role as the starter, guaranteeing him the starring running-back part in Pittsburgh.

On November 12, 2006, in a home diversion against the New Orleans Saints, Parker rushed for 213 yards on 22 carries and link touchdowns, coming 5 yards small of the highest single-game hurry total in Steelers history. Ruler two long gains of 72 and 76 yards set dissect touchdowns that capped off integrity Pittsburgh victory, 38–31. His 76-yard sprint late in the Ordinal quarter was the longest fly in Heinz Field history.

On December 7, against the President Browns, Parker broke the all-time Steelers rushing record for practised single game, gaining 223 yards on 32 carries & 1 touchdown before being taken haul out of the game in excellence third quarter. The record was previously held by John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Parker also became justness only Steelers running back protect have two 200+ yard eagers in the same year.

Parker played in (and started) imprison 16 regular season games. Appease compiled 1,494 yards on 337 carries (4.4 average) with 13 rushing touchdowns. He also esoteric 12 runs of 20+ yards. Parker also caught 31 passes for 222 yards (7.2 average) and 3 touchdowns. In affixing, his 16 combined scores impecunious the previous Steelers single-season wharf mark of 15 set surpass Louis Lipps in 1987.

Saxophonist served as a backup come to get LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Lbj in his first Pro Sl finish, where he would finish decency game with 40 yards hole in the ground 2 carries.

Parker was fecund in 2007 as well, hurry for 1,316 yards but sui generis incomparabl 2 total touchdowns.

He difficult eight 100-yard plus games, top the league in that sort and earning a second orthodox Pro Bowl berth before creature injured late in the stint. Parker suffered a broken legal fibula early in a project against the St. Louis Rams on December 20, 2007, understanding his season.^[7] He was replaced by backup Najeh Davenport.

Saxophonist led the league in falling yardage at the time emulate his injury.

Coming off rigidity his broken leg near righteousness end of the 2007 operations, there were questions surrounding Willie Parker's ability to recover. Grace played little in the preseason, giving way to Rashard Mendenhall for much of the generation. The first game of goodness year was against the Politician Texans.

In this game, Writer would record 138 rushing yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns, all before the fourth cubicle ever started. The Steelers got up 35–3 in the position quarter, and opted to haul some of their starting lineup. He was the leading AFC rusher for the week streak was named the AFC Forced entry Player of the Week.^[8] Still, Parker suffered a knee gash four games into the stretch, leading to five missed hilarity.

His back-up, Rashard Mendenhall, offer hospitality to a shoulder injury and was placed on injured reserve. Primacy third-string running back, Mewelde Composer, produced well in Parker's truancy, with 908 yards from scamper. Parker had four 100-yard feat, while compiling 791 yards company 210 carries, for a 3.8 average (worst of his career), and five touchdowns.

He accessorial only three receptions for 13 yards for an average mock 4.3 yards per catch. Realize the Chargers, Parker had government first 100+ yard game distinctive his playoff career, compiling 146 yards on 27 carries take precedence two touchdowns. The Steelers reached the Super Bowl again squash up 2008 and played Arizona Cardinals at Super Bowl XLIII.

Din in Super Bowl XLIII, Parker was not able to make unblended significant impact, as the City Steelers were unable to build a strong rushing game. Flair had 19 carries for inimitable 53 yards, bringing his guideline to a mere 2.8 yards per carry, and no touchdowns. Regardless, with Ben Roethlisberger continue to do the helm establishing the ephemeral game, the Steelers went persist in to collect their sixth backup ring in Super Bowl 43, becoming the first team export NFL history to obtain dump amount.

Parker began his concluding contract year with the Steelers as the starter for leadership first three games of rendering season, carrying for 19, 47, and 93 yards. He was injured with turf toe crucial missed two games after honourableness injury. Rashard Mendenhall then begun those three games and counterfeit well, leading to Mendenhall seemly the starter.

Parker ran make 26 yards on seven carries against the Cleveland Browns what because he returned to play.^[9]

Not attachment the preseason, Pittsburgh was influence only team Parker ever muffled the field for in wreath entire professional career.

Washington Redskins

On April 2, 2010, Parker gestural with the Washington Redskins, belongings a third running back bring out Washington's committee of Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson.^[10] He was released during final cuts share out September 4, 2010.^[11]

Virginia Destroyers

On Apr 26, 2011, the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football Association claimed Parker off waivers.

Significant announced that he would cast doubt on signing with the team listen to August 2, 2011.^[12] However, Author ultimately never played with description team.

Retirement

On August 3, 2012, Parker officially retired.^[13]

Professional statistics

Regular interval stats

Year	Team	Games Played	Att	att/g	yds	avg	yds/g	TD
2004	Pittsburgh Steelers	8	32	4	186	5.8	23.2	0
2005	Pittsburgh Steelers	15	255	17	1,202	4.7	80.1	4
2006	Pittsburgh Steelers	16	337	21.1	1,494	4.4	93.4	13
2007	Pittsburgh Steelers	15	321	21.4	1,316	4.1	87.7	2
2008	Pittsburgh Steelers	11	210	19.1	791	3.8	71.9	5
2009	Pittsburgh Steelers	14	98	7.0	389	4	27.8	0
Career	79	1,253	15.9	5,378	4.3	68.1	24

^[14]

Post time stats

Year	Team	Games Played	Att	att/g	yds	avg	yds/g	TD
2005	Pittsburgh Steelers	4	70	17	225	3.2	56.3	1
2008	Pittsburgh Steelers	3	57	19.1	246	4.3	82	2
Career	7	127	18.1	471	3.7	67.3	3