Selected in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers.
Has played in 153 career regular season games, including 87 starts, totaling 401 tackles (58 for loss), 77 quarterback hits, 19.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and four blocked kicks.
Has played in seven postseason games, with two starts, recording six tackles (one for loss) and four quarterback hits.
His 153 games played are ninth-most in Buccaneers history.
Tampa Bay's 2020 defense led the league in rushing yards allowed per game (80.6) and yards allowed per rush (3.60), while ranking sixth in yards allowed per play (5.12), sixth in yards allowed per game (327.1), ranking tied for second in tackles for loss (91), tied for fourth in sacks (48.0) and tied for fifth in takeaways (25).
In 2020, Gholston led the Buccaneers tied for 15th in the league with a career-high 20 quarterback hits, tied for the seventh-most in the league by an interior defensive lineman.
A key contributor on the Buccaneers defense in 2019, which led the league in rushing yards allowed and opposing rushing average.
Collected a career-high 12 tackles in Thursday Night Football win at Carolina (9/12/19).
Registered first career forced fumble in win at Philadelphia (11/22/15).
Recorded first career partial sack on Monday Night Football against Miami (11/11/13).
Made first career start at St. Louis (12/22/13).
Made NFL debut at New England (9/22/13).
Registered first career blocked field goal vs. Baltimore (10/12/14).
Blocked extra point at New Orleans (9/20/15).
Posted first career multi-sack game with two in win vs. Atlanta (12/6).
Appeared in all 17 games, making nine starts, and recorded 49 tackles (four for loss), five quarterback hits and one fumble recovery.
Recorded one tackle and one quarterback hit in Week 1 at Dallas (9/11).
Tallied one quarterback hit in Week 2 at New Orleans (9/18).
Recorded two tackles and one quarterback hit in Week 3 vs. Green Bay.
Tallied three tackles in Week 4 vs. Kansas City.
Recorded four tackles in Week 5 vs. Atlanta.
With his start against the Falcons in Week 5, he surpassed Warren Sapp (140) for the 10th-most games played in franchise history.
Tallied two tackles in Week 6 at Pittsburgh.
Finished with three tackles in Week 7 at Carolina.
Recorded a then-season-high six tackles in Week 8 vs. Baltimore.
Logged two tackles in Week 9 vs. L.A. Rams.
Appeared in a reserve capacity and on special teams in Week 10 vs. Seattle. Logged 13 defensive snaps and two special teams snaps.
Finished with two tackles (one for loss) and one quarterback hit in Week 12 at Cleveland.
Recorded a season-high-tying six tackles in Week 13 vs. New Orleans.
Logged three tackles in Week 14 at San Francisco.
Finished with four tackles in Week 15 vs. Cincinnati.
Tallied three tackles (one for loss) and one fumble recovery in Week 16 at Arizona. It marked his third career fumble recovery.
Recorded five tackles (including a season-high two for loss) and one quarterback hit in Week 17 vs. Carolina. It marked his first game with multiple tackles for loss since 12/26/21 at Detroit.
Played 39 defensive snaps in Week 18 at Atlanta, logging three tackles.
Started 24-of-36 games he played at Michigan State (2010-12), totaling 142 tackles, 13 passes defensed, 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 30.0 tackles for loss.
Entered the NFL Draft after his junior season
Finished his Michigan State career ranked 10th in school history in tackles for loss (30.0).
Recorded 10 passes defensed in 2012, the most by a defensive lineman in Spartans history and the most amongst FBS defensive linemen.
Two-time winner of the Danziger Award for defense (most outstanding Detroit-area player).
Led the Spartans in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (13.0) as a junior.
Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the media, while earning honorable mention from the league's coaches in 2012. Earned second-team All-Big Ten Honors from Phil Steele.
Named a quarterfinalist for the Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) in 2012.
Chosen as Defensive Player of the Game in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
Tallied 16.0 tackles for loss as a sophomore, tied for the seventh-most in Michigan State single-season history.
Recorded 5.0 tackles for loss in the 2012 Outback Bowl, the third-most in Michigan State history and the most ever in a bowl game, earning a spot on the ESPN.com and Yahoo! Sports All-Bowl teams.
Named All-Big Ten second team by coaches and media, while also being selected for the second-team All-Big Ten by Yahoo! Sports as a sophomore.
Selected to the CollegeFootballNews.com's second-team All-Sophomore team in 2011.
Led the team in tackles for loss (16.0), the seventh-most in Michigan State history.
Majored in human development and family studies.
Attended Southeastern High School (Detroit, Michigan).
Chosen as an All-American by EA Sports, MaxPreps, SuperPrep and PrepStar (Dream Team).
Ranked as a Top 60 recruit by Tom Lemming (No. 12), Rivals.com (No. 21), Lindy's (No. 21), Athlon Sports (No. 24), Scout.com (No. 29), ESPNU (No. 42) and Sporting News (No. 60).
Ranked as one of the top defensive ends in the country by Tom Lemming (No. 3), Rivals.com (No. 3, strongside), Scouts, Inc. (No. 3), Scout.com (No. 4), Lindy's (No. 5) and Athlon Sports (No. 5).
Rated as the top player in the state of Michigan by the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Rivals.com, Scout.com and Lansing State Journal.
Recorded 115 tackles as a senior, including 44.0 for loss, 27.0 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, two blocked punts and an interception returned for a touchdown.
Led the Public School League in tackles (101) and sacks (15.0) as a junior, while also tallying 37.0 tackles for loss.
Transferred from Mumford High School (Detroit, Michigan) following his sophomore season.
During his two seasons at Mumford, Gholston played both ways, recording 183 tackles, 28.0 sacks and two interceptions to go along with 55 catches for 970 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Cousin Vernon Gholston was a first-round selection of the New York Jets in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Born William Gholston on July 31, 1991, in Detroit, Michigan.
In 2020, supported the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation as part of the NFL's My Cause, My Cleats initiative.
Gholston, along with the defensive lineman hosted the 8th annual "D-Line Delivers Christmas". Local families were surprised with a tour of AdventHealth Training Center, dinner with D-Line, and a shopping spree at Target.
In December 2017, partnered with United Healthcare to build a playground along the historic Clarence Fort Freedom Trail in Tampa.
Served as an honorary starter with his mother, Dawn Ward, a breast cancer survivor at the Buccaneers annual Treasure Chest 5K, 10K, Fun Run & Corporate Challenge in October 2017.
In November 2015, helped deliver canned goods and toys to Metropolitan Ministries for the annual Raymond James "Sack Hunger Stack Toys" program.
Along with the defensive line, purchased toys and hosted a surprise shopping spree for underprivileged families in the "D-Line Does Christmas" event in December 2013-17.
Helped hand out candy to trick-or-treaters from Buccaneers Academy schools attending Lowry Park Zoo's ZooBoo KIDS Halloween event in October 2015.
Paired up with United Way volunteers and students to install a "Learning Garden" at Davis Elementary in September 2015.
Had his head shaved by children battling cancer for the Buccaneers Cut for a Cure in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to raise funds and awareness for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
In October 2014, visited Metropolitan Ministries to play games with children for the Ministries' annual Fall Festival.
In September 2014, participated in a Buccaneers Academy ribbon-cutting ceremony and helped build an outdoor class at Sheehy Elementary in Tampa.
In September 2014, interacted with military members stationed overseas through a Pro vs. GI Joe event at the Buccaneers-sponsored USO Welcome Center at Tampa International Airport.
In February 2014 presented students at Pizzo Elementary with $2,000-worth of PE equipment for winning the Buccaneers PLAY 60 Challenge.
As part of the 2013 Buccaneers Rookie Club, took part in a variety of community service events, including: visiting patients at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa; hosting an ice cream social for military veterans at James Haley VA Hospital; participating in a team-building scavenger hunt with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa at Busch Gardens; hosting a bowling outing with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tampa Bay; challenging youths from the Central City YMCA in games at a local arcade; visiting local servicemen and servicewomen at MacDill Air Force Base; hosting a "Salute to Service" Barbecue with USAA at U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg; greeting veterans at Bay Pines VA Hospital; visiting young patients over the holidays at All Children's Hospital; and singing Christmas carols to residents at Westminster Palms Retirement Home.
