Age: 28
7th season in pro
football & with Steelers
College: Purdue
Height: 6’0” Weight: 200
Prelude:
An outstanding athlete
coming out of college (he was a champion hurdler as well as football star), Woodson
was chosen by the Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft (10th
overall). He held out and got a late start in the strike-interrupted ’87
season, and was used as a nickel back and kick returner, but swiftly developed
into a star at cornerback and was team co-MVP in 1988. Woodson was a consensus
first-team All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl for the first time in ’89. With his
outstanding speed, leaping ability, and body control, he became a regular Pro
Bowl participant through 1992 and was again a first-team All-Pro selection in
1990 and ’92, a season in which he recorded a career-high six sacks and 100
tackles. He also compiled 20 interceptions in his first six years, led the NFL
in kickoff returning in 1989 (27.3 avg.) and ran two kickoffs and two punts
back for TDs.
1993 Season Summary
Appeared in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate
league rank in Top 20]
Sacks – 2
Most sacks, game – 1 at LA
Rams 9/12, at Cleveland
Interceptions – 8 [3]
Most interceptions, game – 2
vs. San Francisco 9/5, at Atlanta
9/27, vs. New Orleans
Int. return yards – 138 [2]
Most int. return yards, game
– 63 (on 2 int.) vs. New Orleans
Int. TDs – 1 [2, tied with many]
Fumble recoveries – 1
Forced fumbles – 2
Tackles – 95
Kickoff Returns
Returns – 15
Yards – 294
Most yards, game – 65 (on 4
ret.) at Denver
Average per return – 19.6
TDs – 0
Longest return – 44 yards
Punt Returns
Returns – 42 [2]
Yards – 338 [8]
Most yards, game – 54 (on 4
ret.) vs. Cincinnati
Average per return – 8.0
TDs – 0
Longest return – 39 yards
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at Kansas City
Sacks – 0
Interceptions – 0
Punt Returns – 3
Yards – 18
Avg. Return – 6.0
TDs – 0
Kickoff Returns – 3
Yards – 66
Avg. Return – 22.0
TDs – 0
Awards & Honors:
NFL Defensive Player of the
Year: AP
1st team All-NFL:
AP, PFW, Sporting News
1st team All-AFC:
UPI, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Steelers went 9-7 to finish
second in the AFC Central and qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card. Lost
AFC Wild Card playoff to Kansas City Chiefs (27-24).
Aftermath:
In 1994, Woodson was again a
first-team All-Pro for the fifth time in six seasons and was selected to his
sixth straight Pro Bowl. But it appeared his career might be over due to a
severe knee injury suffered in the first game of the ’95 season. Remarkably, he
returned to play for the Steelers in the Super Bowl following that season and
was again selected for the Pro Bowl in 1996. He moved on to the 49ers in ’97
and then to the Baltimore Ravens in 1998, where he was shifted to free safety
in ’99 and played well enough to once again gain selection to the Pro Bowl. It
was the first of three straight such selections with the Ravens, who also won
the Super Bowl following the 2000 season largely due to their outstanding
defense. With the Raiders in 2002, Woodson was a consensus first-team All-Pro
for the sixth and last time, and also went to the Pro Bowl for the last of 11
times at the age of 37. He finished up with Oakland
--
MVP Profiles feature players who were named MVP or Player of the Year in the NFL,
AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, Newspaper
Enterprise Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, Maxwell
Club – Bert Bell Award, or the league itself). Also includes Associated Press
NFL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
[Updated 2/8/14]
[Updated 2/8/14]
