| No. 24 | |
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| Position: | Cornerback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1942-09-24)September 24, 1942 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
| Died: | September 21, 1986(1986-09-21) (aged 43) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 194 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Renton (WA) |
| College: | Washington State |
| NFL draft: | 1965:1st round, 9th pick |
| AFL draft: | 1965: 8th round, 62nd pick |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats atPro Football Reference | |
Clarence "Clancy" Williams Jr. (September 24, 1942 – September 21, 1986) was anAmerican footballdefensive back who played eight seasons in theNational Football League (NFL), all with theLos Angeles Rams.[1][2][3]
Williams was born on September 24, 1942, inBeaumont, orDeweyville,Texas.[4][2] Williams was raised in suburbanSeattle and graduated fromRenton High School in 1961, where he was All-State in football and basketball, and also ran track.[2] He helped Renton to a Puget Sound League football championship. Williams was the only black player on his team. While some players bullied him for this, his mother encouraged him not to allow them to degrade him.[5]
The City of Renton made March 27, 1965, Clancy Williams Day.[5] Williams is among seven legendary Renton athletes depicted on a mural at Liberty Park in the back of Giannini Stadium in Renton.[6]
He playedcollege football atWashington State University (WSU) inPullman, and was its star running back 1962–64.[7] He was a first teamAll-American as a senior in1964.[7] In 1964, herushed for 783 yards in 147 attempts, and had 17receptions for 210 yards.[8] In his three years of varsity football, he had 1,456 rushing yards, 332 receiving yards, and 719 yards on kickoff returns.[8][7] In 1964, he also led theAthletic Association of Western Universities in rushing yards per attempt (5.3).[9]
Williams played on both sides of the ball: on offense at halfback and defense at cornerback. WSU sports historian Dick Fry made the case Williams was the finest two-way player in Washington State history.[10] He played in the 1965Hula Bowl andEast-West Shrine game. He was inducted into Washington State's Hall of Fame in 1986.[7]
His most famous college play came in WSU's 1964 opening game against Stanford. With little more than one minute left in the game, WSU was down 23–22. A Stanford receiver caught a pass, and when he turned to run up field, Williams stripped the ball away and took it to WSU's 37 yard line. WSU scored a touchdown, winning the game 29–23.[11]
He was selected in the first round of the1965 NFL draft (ninth overall) by theRams.[1][2][3] Williams played his entire eight-year NFL career as a defensive back with the Rams.[4] In the five years from 1966 to 1970, he started 68 or the team's 70 games at leftcornerback, with 28interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.[4] In 1966, his eight interceptions were tied for second most in the NFL,[12] and his seven interceptions in 1968 were tied for fourth best in the NFL.[13]
At the time Williams retired after 1972, he had 28 interceptions for the Rams, two returned for touchdowns. His 28 interceptions for the Rams were second most in team history when he retired, behind teammateEddie Meador (46).[14] Through 2024, he is tied for fifth all-time on the Rams interception list, while Meador still remains first. He also returned kickoffs for the Rams, chiefly from 1965 to 1967; averaging over 25 yards per return.[7][4][15]
He finished his professional football career in theWorld Football League.[11]
After football, Williams worked inLos Angeles in banking and at theLos Angeles Times newspaper[1][2]
His sonClarence III also played football at Washington State for four years attight end, and in the NFL for one year with the Cleveland Browns.[16][17]
Williams had three first cousins from Beaumont who played in the NFL,Mel Farr,Miller Farr, andJerry Levias.[18]
He died of cancer in Seattle at age 43 in 1986.[1][2] and was interred atGreenwood Memorial Park in Renton.
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