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Two years later, Harry Williams back on his feet

Wolf

Wolf

100% Texan
Harry Williams' football-playing career ended a little less than two years ago. In a 2008 preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, the 26-year-old Texans wide receiver and emerging special teams standout was briefly paralyzed after colliding with a teammate in kickoff coverage.

Remarkably, Williams' football-coaching career began only a year later. In 2009, Williams enrolled at Prairie View A&M University and began helping to coach the school's wide receivers. He has made a full recovery from his injury, of which there are now no discernable effects other than a large scar on the back of his neck from surgery.

"I tell you, it's great, man," Williams said on Thursday after visiting a Texans practice. "I can't play football, but at the same time, I get to do a lot of stuff in life that I wasn't able to do when I was paralyzed. I wasn't able to walk, I wasn't able to drive, I wasn't able to eat by myself. People had to do things for me, and that's a big part of life that I took for granted.

"Even though I can't play football no more, I'm just happy to be able to walk and be able to coach football and teach people to play football, and to hopefully prevent injuries like I had."

Williams, who played at Tuskegee before the New York Jets drafted him in the seventh round in 2005, will graduate from Prairie View after the upcoming fall semester.

Texans owner Bob McNair has been paying for his education, a commitment that McNair made to Williams after his career-ending injury.

"I was really concerned as to how he was going to make a living going forward," McNair said. "I just knew that he was going to have a tough time, and I wanted to encourage him to go back to school. I'm delighted that he wanted to go back and that he's succeeding."
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http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=6186

good story and Bob, what can I say, GREAT guy.
 
Totally agree. That is a good story and Bob is a great guy. And mucho congrats to Harry for not getting down over his injury. I betcha he makes a hell of a coach.
 
Paying for a college education is a great way to give Williams another opportunity.

Way to go, Bobby!
 
I remember watching that Texans vs Cowboys game to this day. A sad story his NFL career was just begining. But I am very glad to see he doing well. Well done Bob as well.
 
Good to hear about Harry and how it looks like not only has he bounced back from his injury, but has used it to propel his life into a new direction. Kudos to Harry for that.

Nice to know, even though sometimes we question Bob's Football decisions it's good to know the guy is committed to his players futures.
 
Awesome story! Its stories like these that shows if you have heart and determination you can do anything you want.

Oh, and way to go Mr. McNair! :bravo:
 
Although things like this do happen, you seldom know about them when they do. You usually only see these endings in the movies. Thanks, Wolf, for posting this heart-warming story.
 
gary said:
I remember watching that Texans vs Cowboys game to this day. A sad story his NFL career was just begining. But I am very glad to see he doing well. Well done Bob as well.
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I was at this game in Dallas and cried slightly when it happen. Did a lot of praying too. He was a good guy who was on the verge of doing something big in the league. I went to TU my first year of undergrad when he was there. He was a very humble dude plus he was a Que :-) I am glad that Bob did something financially for him.
 
Dr2bKay said:
I was at this game in Dallas and cried slightly when it happen. Did a lot of praying too. He was a good guy who was on the verge of doing something big in the league. I went to TU my first year of undergrad when he was there. He was a very humble dude plus he was a Que :-) I am glad that Bob did something financially for him.
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You will have to explain that one for me...
 
Dr2bKay said:
I was at this game in Dallas and cried slightly when it happen. Did a lot of praying too. He was a good guy who was on the verge of doing something big in the league. I went to TU my first year of undergrad when he was there. He was a very humble dude plus he was a Que :-) I am glad that Bob did something financially for him.
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It is funny you were at the game and I was at Bubba's watching the game with some of the Blue Crew members. We all sat there in shock.
 
NitroHonda said:
Paying for a college education is a great way to give Williams another opportunity.

Way to go, Bobby!
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Wait a minute. Bob McNair is paying to send a person to school who is not on the team?! I thought Bob McNair was a miserly cheapskate?!
:sarcasm:
 
I was at that game. Very scary injury. I'm really happy for Harry to have fully recovered and about to graduate from college. Bob did a good thing here and he deserves some credit for caring about a player beyond his career for the Texans. Most owners wouldn't have had a second thought about Harry once he couldn't play for them anymore.
 
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