On Wednesday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame named five candidates in the "contributor" category for possible election to the Hall in 2027, and that group includes Doug Williams, who made a significant impact on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as both a player and a personnel executive. Williams is a member of the Buccaneers' Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium.
Williams was Tampa Bay's first-round draft pick in 1978 and a pioneer among black quarterbacks in the NFL. He played five seasons for the Buccaneers, helping them make their first three playoff appearances in 1979, 1981 and 1982 and guiding them to the NFC Championship Game in 1979, just the fourth season of play for the franchise.
After Williams' departure, the Buccaneers would not see another winning season until 1997 while he went on to play four seasons in Washington after a stint in the USFL. In January of 1998, he became the first black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl, earning MVP honors in Super Bowl XXII after throwing four touchdown passes in a 42-10 rout of the Denver Broncos.
Williams returned to the Buccaneers' organization in 2004, first taking on the title of personnel executive. He was later named the Coordinator of Pro Scouting in 2009, a position he held for two seasons before his departure. His football career also includes stints as a head coach at Morehouse College and Grambling State and as a personnel executive with the Washington franchise.
The other four candidates up for potential selection as the nominee in the contributor category are former Canton Bulldogs Owner Ralph Hay, current New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft, Former Chicago Bears Principal Owner Virginia McCaskey and former Fritz Pollard Alliance Chair John Wooten. There were originally 42 nominees before the list was reduced to the current five. The Hall's Contributor Subcomittee will meet virtually on November 17 to select one of the five candidates to be included among the people considered for selection to the Class of 2027 when the full Selection Committee meets early next year. Kraft was last year's choice by the Contributor Subcommittee.
