Sad news: Former San Francisco 49ers key player is dead…
Jimmy Williams, a former 49ers cornerback and return specialist, passed away, the organization announced on Friday.
Williams was a 43-year-old player with the 49ers from 2001 to 2004.
Following his time at Vanderbilt University, Williams was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 196th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. The defensive back signed with the 49ers, where he played for four seasons, and never played for Buffalo.
Williams played two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks until he announced his retirement from the NFL. He led the team in the 2005 Super Bowl XL campaign, which ended in a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Over the course of his six-year NFL career, Williams played in 80 games, seven of them as a starter. He had 151 tackles, 124 of which were solo, and three interceptions.
With an NFL-high average of 16.8 yards per punt return in 2002, the special teams star was selected NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13. Williams returned one punt for 52 yards and two kickoffs for an average of 21 yards each in that 31-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Williams returned to his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after his NFL career, and he joined the football team at his old high school there in 2011. Williams was elected into the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge’s Hall of Fame in 2006 and has served as the school’s assistant athletic director and defensive coordinator since 2011.