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Wayne Williams

1921 – 2001

American football player (Minnesota)

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About Wayne Williams

Lived 1921 – 2001 (aged 79). Wayne Williams was an American american football player.

Wayne Henry "Red" Williams Jr. (October 24, 1921 – August 18, 2001) was an American college football player, who played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team from 1942 to 1945.

At Roosevelt High School, Williams was a standout in both baseball and football. He's the only Gopher to ever lead the nation in rushing yards or all-purpose yards for a season. His 1944 average of 7.73 yards per carry and his career average 6.25 yards per carry during his career at Minnesota both remain Minnesota school records. With 1,999 rushing yards, he ranked second behind Pug Lund on Minnesota's career rushing record book at the time of his graduation. He died of congestive heart failure in 2001.

Williams was drafted in the second round of the 1945 NFL draft (13th overall), but never played in the NFL.

After his football career was over he became the manager of WLOL radio and worked in marketing.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Minnesota

People in Wayne Williams's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Wayne Williams's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Wayne Williams?

American football player (Minnesota)

When was Wayne Williams born?

Wayne Williams was born on 24 October 1921 in Minneapolis.

When did Wayne Williams die?

Wayne Williams died on 18 August 2001.

What was Wayne Williams's occupation?

Wayne Williams was an american football player.

What nationality was Wayne Williams?

Wayne Williams was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Wayne Williams

· Wikidata: Q21259425

· DBpedia: Wayne Williams (American football)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wayne Williams. https://biography.guide/wayne-williams-american-football-player/

MLA: "Wayne Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wayne-williams-american-football-player/.

Chicago: "Wayne Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wayne-williams-american-football-player/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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