Has The First Super Bowl Kept Williamson Out Of The HOVG?

[Brian wolf]

If there was ever a player from the 1960s who was a proto-type of today's pro football athlete, it was Fred "Hammer" Williamson. At 6'2 over 215 lbs, he had size, speed, coverage, big play ability and marketability to be a superstar and for a brief time in the AFL, he was, until he trash-talked one time too often before the biggest game of his young life, of course the first Super Bowl, where after boasting he would take out receivers Dowler and Dale with his hammer tackle, he ended up laying down on the field after being knocked in the head from Donny Anderson's knee, before going to the sideline in a game no longer in doubt ... haha ... (too many commas, I need a good editor, to help my scriptwriting as well)

He played well in the game, after having a great AFL Championship game against Buffalo for the Chiefs, as Willie Mitchell got repeatedly worked on by Max McGee and Carroll Dale throughout the game for GB on the other side, but did this one game erase his accomplishments during his career that could have been HOVG?

Williamson started out with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1960 but got the nickname "Hammer" when he kept knocking into Steeler receivers at the line of scrimmage before being yelled at and warned by an assistant coach. An early advocate for bump-and-run coverage technique or not, Williamson had to learn how to adjust to pro receivers and didnt make it to 1961, with HC Buddy Parker going after John Sample after his release from Baltimore. Joining the Oakland Raiders in 1961 before Al Davis would join and add their Silver and Black Mystique, Williamson was one of their first stars, helping the team go from loser to winner, where Fred's marketing and playing skills allowed him to be named All-Pro twice before being traded straight up for Dave Grayson, allowed him to join KC in 1965. He had to be good to be traded for Grayson, who probably everyone on this site believes is HOF worthy and Williamson played well for the Chiefs as well, where he might have been All-Pro for a third time, had it not been for emerging stars in Willie Brown and Butch Byrd and for his physical style of play and 36 career interceptions in 104 games played with two TDs. In his eight year career, he was an excellent player but has been more remembered more for his trash talking and exit ... from SB 1

Williamson left the Chiefs after the 1967 season for greener pastures as a film action star and advocate for black power, yet he still claims that the hype and publicity that he brought to the AFL-NFL Championship game helped make the game become The Super Bowl ... He isnt really wrong despite an embarrassing ending to his game in which NFL Films gleefully spotlighted along with Max McGee on their soon-to-be popular championship game videos. Good to great player, helped popularize the Super Bowl, early star for the Raiders, prototype player who could hit opposing players and make the big play ... sounds like a case for HOVG to me ...

[Bryan]

I don't think Williamson was ever a superstar in the AFL. He was an effective CB in the early days of the AFL when his main competition for the pro bowl were guys like Dick Felt and Tony Banfield. Williamson was OK with the Chiefs, but they were very put off by Williamson's refusal to come up in run support. He was great at clubbing unsuspecting pass receivers, but basic tackling wasn't Williamson's strong point. I think it's telling that the Chiefs opted to keep a hustling Willie Mitchell instead of Williamson, no one in the AFL/NFL acquired Williamson after he was released, and the KC run defense went from 4.1 YPC to 3.5 YPC.

Williamson must have been knocked silly in Super Bowl I, because he later claimed to have taken out Boyd Dowler in that game. Dowler had gotten hurt in the NFL title game when Mike Gaechter flipped him on his head with a late hit. Dowler tried to play in SB I but reinjured himself trying to block Johnny Robinson on the third play of the game. But I guess fact doesn't go with the narrative. Williamson was burned for a 63-yard TD but was bailed out by an illegal procedure penalty.

[Brian wolf]

Good points as usual Bryan ... I think Williamson broke his arm in 1967 with teammate Headrick landing on him. Youre right about the Carroll Dale play that was called back in the SB. I didnt know he made business decisions in run-support. Its a tough call for HOVG because he didnt play much his rookie or final season, yet he could make big plays. I just feel had he not gotten knocked out in the game and the embarrassment that went with it, his career would be more remembered. Youre right about Mitchell, though he had a tough SB game and gave way to Emmitt Thomas, he hustled and stayed on the team along with Curtis McClinton and Chuck Hurston to enjoy the SB IV victory.