Bill Willis, Football Pioneer and Civic Leader”

Doing justice: Bill Willis An NFL Hall of Famer and an Ohio State University football legend, Bill Willis was born in Georgia, raised in Columbus, Ohio, and a football star for both OSU and the Cleveland Browns.   A fierce competitor on the defensive line, Bill Willis first played for Coach Paul Brown at The Ohio State University.  Brown later played for Coach Brown on the Cleveland Browns.  In 1946, Willis was one of the first four Black players in the modern NFL, along with Marion Motley of the Browns and Kenny Washington and Woody Strode of the LA Rams.   Willis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.  In 1977, he was inducted as a charter member of the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame.  He was elected the same year to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Ohio State University honored Willis on November 3, 2007, by retiring his #99 jersey.  Along with Motley, Washington, and Strode, Willis has been highlighted in a great documentary, ‘The Forgotten Four,” which highlights their contributions as social justice pioneers in athletics.   Following his career on the gridiron, Willis served his community through civic contributions.