Byron Williams is originally from Texarkana, Texas, and started pursuing football in the fifth grade. Williams played in the Canadian Football League from 1991 to 1994.
After playing professional football for over a decade, UTA alumnus Byron Williams faced a transition many professional athletes have faced: life without the game that had defined him. Today, he’s redefining identity across the cycle of football, mentoring young athletes before they enter the spotlight and retired NFL players navigating life after it.
Before he became the president of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter for NFL Alumni Association and played in the NFL, the World Football League and the Canadian Football League, Williams went through life, learning the very lessons he now teaches.
He started pursuing football in fifth grade, and his mentors made it clear that the game wouldn’t be enough on its own, teaching him to be a well-rounded person.
In high school, Williams’ football coach would give him $20 every six weeks if he made the AB honor roll. It was a small incentive that enforced the idea of life being more than football, a philosophy that stuck with him.
He also credits his parents, particularly his father, who served in the Army, for having a helping hand in shaping him.
“He’s my hero,” Williams said. “He taught me a lot.”
Discipline, work ethic and the 4.23-second 40-yard-dash he ran led Williams from Texarkana, Texas, to Arlington in 1979 on a football scholarship. UTA, where he majored in business management, was the only school that offered him his preferred position of wide receiver instead of defensive back.
“I didn’t want to play DB no more. I wanted to catch the ball,” Williams said.
Byron Williams, former NFL player and UTA alumnus, has his UTA Movin’ Mavs football jersey framed in his home Feb. 13 in Arlington. After his time at UTA, Williams was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1983.
As a freshman, Williams met Cliff Odom, whom Williams calls a mentor. Odom said he saw the “little skinny kid with a big afro” as his little brother and took him under his wing.
He said Williams was someone people naturally gravitated toward. He said Williams showed flashes of the leadership that would define him later in life, as he became the guy players looked to as an example.
“He was a guy that wanted to learn and wanted to make a contribution to the team,” Odom said. “Someone that was going to do whatever it takes to have the team win, also try to help each and everybody he met.”
Following his time at UTA, Williams transitioned to the NFL, where the game was faster and the players were better. He said he saw what it took to be the best, playing with NFL legend Lawrence Taylor, but also saw talented players he thought deserved spots get cut.
Along with higher stakes, the NFL introduced Williams to a new environment with people who had lived different lives. Williams said the element of the locker room helped shape and develop him.
Like many professional athletes, Williams was expected to perform on the field while balancing a family life off of it, which he said wasn’t difficult.
“When you have kids and have a family, there’s other responsibilities besides you, you gotta put them into the equation as well,” Williams said. “You can’t be selfish in this world. Sometimes you gotta put others before you.”
Looking back, Williams said he didn’t know if he was going to play one year or 12, but he knew he was “enjoying the moment.” He said football taught him about commitment and making adjustments.
When the game ended, Williams pivoted to retirement, another chapter in his book.
“I always tried to see what the next exciting thing for me was going to be,” Williams said. “You wake up the next day, you get excited about what you want to do and how you want to continue life.”
What got Williams up every morning was making a difference in his community. He said he wants every kid who hears him speak to feel valuable and to set goals and reach them.
Through his work with his Best Wishes Foundation, Williams mentors, educates and develops young athletes. Williams said having the right attitude and believing in yourself is the key to getting better.
About Byron Williams
Hometown: Texarkana, Texas
College: UTA, 1979-1982
Professional career: 12 seasons in professional football
Current work: NFL Alumni DFW chapter president, Best Wishes Foundation founder
“I always say ‘ABCs,’” he said. “You have to have the right attitude. You have to believe in yourself. You really got to be committed, then dedicated. You gotta be dedicated. And then, of course, E, education.”
Mike McGruder, Williams’ friend and a retired NFL player, hosts camps with Williams every year and sees the teachings in real time. McGruder said Williams emphasises the importance of making the right decision when pursuing dreams.
“He’s dedicated to youth sports,” McGruder said. “He has a vision to help the youth have a chance to see their dreams come true.”
For Williams, learning is a two-way street, and he said the kids have taught him hope.
On the other side of the football cycle, Williams mentors retired NFL players living in Dallas-Fort Worth. He and the alumni chapter teach the players about health benefits, help them navigate problems and make sure they adapt to life after football.
Byron Williams, former NFL player and UTA alumnus, displays a chest of football memorabilia in his home Feb. 13 in Arlington. Williams is the president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the NFL Alumni Association.
Williams said retirement is a different experience from player to player. McGruder said Williams has become a go-to guy when players need someone.
“He’s dealt with guys that call him, that talked about committing suicide, former NFL players,” McGruder said. “He wants to continue to grow the NFL Alumni Association.”
Odom said he’s proud of how the skinny freshman turned into a strong leader with knowledge to share with his community.
Williams said his sense of community comes from his parents’ passion for it. McGruder said Williams does a lot of work behind the scenes, giving away bikes, backpacks, food and more to those in need without seeking validation.
A man who was once defined by football now helps others understand life beyond it.
“Life is full of possibilities and you live with purpose, dreams do come true,” Williams said.
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