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'''Richard Williamson''' (born [[April 13]], [[1941]]; died [[September 22]], [[2015]] in Charlotte, North Carolina) was a former [[Alabama Crimson Tide football]] player and assistant coach who went on to coach in the National Football League.
'''Richard Williamson''' (born [[April 13]], [[1941]]; died [[September 22]], [[2015]] in Charlotte, North Carolina) was a former [[Alabama Crimson Tide football]] player and assistant coach who went on to coach in the National Football League.


Williamson retired from the Panthers in [[2010]]. He died in [[2015]] from a heart attack.
Williamson played wide receiver for two years, in [[1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1961]] and [[1962 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1962]], under coach [[Bear Bryant]]. He caught [[Joe Namath]]'s first touchdown pass and was named to the All-[[Southeastern Conference]] team. He testified in a libel case against the ''Saturday Evening Post,'' which had alleged that Bryant and Georgia coach Wally Butts had conspired to throw a game.


<!--A player under Bear Bryant who caught Joe Namath's first Alabama touchdown pass, Williamson went on to a long coaching career. He retired in 2010 at age 68 as the receivers coach of the Carolina Panthers.
Williamson was selected by the Boston Patriots as the 55th overall pick in the [[1963]] NFL draft, but he declined a professional contract in order to remain at Alabama as an assistant coach. Alabama won back-to-back [[List of Alabama Crimson Tide football national championships|national championships]] in [[1964 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1964]] and [[1965 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1965]]. Williamson left to join Frank Broyles' staff at the University of Arkansas, then returned for Tuscaloosa for the [[1970 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|1970 season]], and then back to Fayetteville in [[1972]].


Williamson was a wide receiver under legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant for the 1961 and 1962 seasons. He caught Joe Namath's first touchdown pass at Alabama. He was one of five players who testified to an Alabama Legislative Committee after The Saturday Evening Post ran an article claiming that Georgia head coach Wally Butts had conspired with Bear Bryant to throw a football game. Both Bryant and Butts later were awarded money in libel suits against the paper. Williamson was the 55th pick in the 1963 American Football League Draft, drafted by the Boston Patriots, but choose to stay at Alabama as a coach, helping the Tide win National Championships for the 1964 and 1965 seasons.
In [[1974]] Williamson was hired to succeed Fred Pancoast as head coach of the Memphis State Tigers. He spent five seasons there and was twice named the Southern Independent Conference's Coach of the Year. He posted losing records in last three seasons, however, and was fired after the [[1980]] season. For the next several years he served as executive director of the Bluebonnet Bowl in the Houston Astrodome.


After a two-year coaching stay at the University of Arkansas, Williamson returned to Alabama for 1970-1971 before leaving for Arkansas again (from 1972 to 1974). Williamson then left for Memphis State University, this time becoming head coach (1975–1980). Williamson's teams finished 7-4 (1975, 1976), 6-5 (1977), 4-7 (1978), 5-6 (1979), and 2-9 (1980). Williamson was honored with the Southern Independent Conference Coach of the Year award twice. After being fired from Memphis, Williamson spent several years as the executive director of the Bluebonnet Bowl.
In [[1983]] Williamson returned to coaching as an assistant to John Mackovic with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. In [[1986]] Mackovic was fired and Williamson took a job with former Crimson Tide coach [[Ray Perkins]] as offensive coordinator on his Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff.


Williamson was a candidate to be the head coach of the Crimson Tide three times. First, he was a strong name in 1990 when Gene Stallings ultimately replaced Bill Curry. He was again a candidate after Stallings' 1996 retirement and then in 2003 after Mike Price's brief tenure. He interviewed with then-president Robert Witt, as did Sylvester Croom when Mike Shula eventually got the job.
In [[1990]] Williamson was a candidate to succeed [[Bill Curry]] as head coach of the Crimson Tide, but was passed over in favor of [[Gene Stallings]]. Instead he filled in for Perkins as interim head coach of the Buccaneers before being given the permanent job for the [[1991]]-[[1992]] season. His team went 3-13 that year and he was replaced by Sam Wyche.


After finishing an All-SEC career in 1962, Williamson was an assistant from 1963-67, then again from 1970-71. He had a 32-34 record in his only college head coaching job with Memphis from 1975-80. He was also the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1990-91.
From 1992 to [[1994]] Williamson served as receivers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. He left to take the same job with the Carolina Panthers in [[1995]] and remained there until his retirement in January [[2010]], briefly serving as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator under George Seifert.


Williamson was an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bucs, and Cincinnati Bengals before landing with the Panthers in 1995.
During his time with the Panthers, Williamson twice more interviewed for the head coaching job at Alabama, losing out to [[Mike DuBose]] in [[1996]] and to [[Mike Shula]] in [[2003]]. Williamson died in [[2015]] from a heart attack.


Funeral at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.-->
==References==
* Casagrande, Michael (September 23, 2015) "Former Alabama player, assistant and head-coaching candidate dies." {{BN}}
* "[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Williamson_(American_football) Richard Williamson (American football)]" (September 23, 2015) Wikipedia - accessed September 23, 2015
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williamson, Richard}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players]]
[[Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football coaches]]
[[Category:NFL coaches]]

Revision as of 13:45, 23 September 2015

Richard Williamson (born April 13, 1941; died September 22, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina) was a former Alabama Crimson Tide football player and assistant coach who went on to coach in the National Football League.

Williamson played wide receiver for two years, in 1961 and 1962, under coach Bear Bryant. He caught Joe Namath's first touchdown pass and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference team. He testified in a libel case against the Saturday Evening Post, which had alleged that Bryant and Georgia coach Wally Butts had conspired to throw a game.

Williamson was selected by the Boston Patriots as the 55th overall pick in the 1963 NFL draft, but he declined a professional contract in order to remain at Alabama as an assistant coach. Alabama won back-to-back national championships in 1964 and 1965. Williamson left to join Frank Broyles' staff at the University of Arkansas, then returned for Tuscaloosa for the 1970 season, and then back to Fayetteville in 1972.

In 1974 Williamson was hired to succeed Fred Pancoast as head coach of the Memphis State Tigers. He spent five seasons there and was twice named the Southern Independent Conference's Coach of the Year. He posted losing records in last three seasons, however, and was fired after the 1980 season. For the next several years he served as executive director of the Bluebonnet Bowl in the Houston Astrodome.

In 1983 Williamson returned to coaching as an assistant to John Mackovic with the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. In 1986 Mackovic was fired and Williamson took a job with former Crimson Tide coach Ray Perkins as offensive coordinator on his Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff.

In 1990 Williamson was a candidate to succeed Bill Curry as head coach of the Crimson Tide, but was passed over in favor of Gene Stallings. Instead he filled in for Perkins as interim head coach of the Buccaneers before being given the permanent job for the 1991-1992 season. His team went 3-13 that year and he was replaced by Sam Wyche.

From 1992 to 1994 Williamson served as receivers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals. He left to take the same job with the Carolina Panthers in 1995 and remained there until his retirement in January 2010, briefly serving as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator under George Seifert.

During his time with the Panthers, Williamson twice more interviewed for the head coaching job at Alabama, losing out to Mike DuBose in 1996 and to Mike Shula in 2003. Williamson died in 2015 from a heart attack.

References

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