HBCU legend Doug Williams is once again up for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Williams isone of five candidates remaining in the Class of 2027 contributor category.
He joins several influential figures, such as New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, NFL executive John Wooten, Chicago Bears owner Virginia McCasky, and Ralph Hayes. Williams and the other nominees will go up for discussion to be selected in the November 17th subcommittee meeting, and one person out of the remaining candidates will be selected for enshrinement.
Of all the players who suited up for Eddie G. Robinson at Grambling, Doug Williams ranks among the most significant. Williams quarterbacked the Tigers from 1974 to 1977, a stretch that produced three SWAC championships and a 36-7 record. His play earned him Heisman Trophy buzz, and he finished fourth in the voting in 1977.
Tampa Bay selected him 17th overall in the 1978 NFL Draft. He later joined the Washington Redskins, where he became the first Black quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP, doing so in 1988.
A decade later, Williams made history again by succeeding Robinson as Grambling's head coach. He won his first SWAC title in 2000 with a 10-2 record, then led the Tigers to the Black College Football National Title the following year, finishing 10-1. In 2002, he completed a three-peat of SWAC championships, guiding the G-Men to an 11-2 mark.
Williams is now the Washington Commanders' senior advisor to the general manager. In 2019, he co-founded the Black College Football Hall of Fame with James “Shack” Harris, an institution that honors the greatest players, coaches and contributors in HBCU football history.