Selected in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers.
Has played in 169 career regular season games, including 88 starts, totaling 420 tackles (58 for loss), 77 quarterback hits, 19.5 sacks, 14 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, one interception and four blocked kicks.
Has played in nine postseason games, with three starts, recording eight tackles (one for loss) and four quarterback hits.
His 169 games played are sixth-most in Buccaneers history.
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.
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).
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).
Recorded his first career interception in week 8 of the 2023 season against Buffalo (10/26/23).
Registered first career forced fumble in a 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 (12/6/15).
Appeared in a reserve capacity on defense in the Week 1 win at Minnesota. Finished with one tackle.
Appeared in a reserve capacity on defense in the Week 2 victory over Minnesota, logging seven snaps.
In Week 3 vs. Philadelphia, played 35- of-78 defensive snaps and finished with three tackles.
Played 14-of-65 defensive snaps in the Week 4 victory at New Orleans, finishing with two tackles.
In Week 6 vs. Detroit, played 15-of-70 defensive snaps and finished with one tackle.
In Week 7 vs. Atlanta, surpassed Mike Alstott (158) for the eighth-most games played in franchise history. He finished with two tackles.
Played 18-of-69 defensive snaps in Week 8 at Buffalo, finishing with a career-high-tying two passes defensed and his first career interception.
In Week 9 at Houston, started at defensive tackle and played 29-of-72 defensive plays.
Appeared in a reserve capacity on defense in the Week 10 victory over Tennessee.
In Week 11 at San Francisco, played 19-of-60 defensive snaps and recorded one tackle.
Played 16-of-73 defensive snaps in Week 12 at Indianapolis, logging one tackle.
Played 16-of-72 defensive snaps in the Week 13 victory over Carolina, finishing with one snap.
In Week 13, he surpassed John Lynch for the sixth-most games played (165) in franchise history.
In the Week 14 victory over Atlanta, played 17-of-72 defensive snaps, finishing with one tackle.
Was inactive for Week1 5 at Green Bay.
Appeared on special teams in the Week16 victory over Jacksonville.
Recorded a then-season-high four tackles in Week 17 vs. New Orleans, playing 13-of-70 defensive snaps and finishing with four tackles.
In the Week 18 victory at Carolina, appeared in a reserve capacity on defense. Contributed to a defense that recorded Tampa Bay's first shutout since Nov. 21, 2010 at San Francisco.
In the Wild Card round victory over Philadelphia, started at defensive tackle and recorded one tackle. Contributed to a defense that helped produce Tampa Bay's largest yardage differential in a postseason game in club history (+150).
In the Divisional round contest at Detroit, played 28-of-73 defensive snaps and finished with one tackle.
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
