Gerald Williams
Nose Tackle
1986-94
Where are you living now?
Charlotte, North Carolina
What are you doing?
I am in law enforcement. I am a Deputy Sherriff. I am still making people toe the line like I did as a player.
What is the fondest memory from your playing career?The silliness we had in the locker room, being one big family. Some of the memories we shared with our trainer Ralph Berlin in the training room were great. It was like one big comedy hour.
What was your best game?It would have to be a Monday night game against the Buffalo Bills. I got my first touchdown of my NFL career after a fumble caused by Rod Woodson on the blitz. The ball rolled into the end zone and I fell on it. Lucky me.
What made playing for the Steelers special?The thing that made it most special was it wasn't like a job but instead you were playing for a family. That was from the front office down. The guys were great to play with. I went on to play for the Carolina Panthers later and the years in Carolina were so different compared to the years in Pittsburgh. The front office people in Pittsburgh knew everyone's name and in Carolina you might get your name remembered. It was one big family and that made it most enjoyable.
Teammate you were closest to during your playing days?Gary Howe, we called him Stumpy. I haven't seen him since I left. I was closest to him and Jeff Zgonina.
Teammate who was the biggest character?You can't put your finger on one guy. We had a whole bunch of characters, which is what made it special.
Do you still keep in touch with former teammates?Dwight Stone and I were close friends then and are now. We both live in North Carolina, me on one end of town and him on the other. He is also in law enforcement.
Do you still follow the Steelers and if so, how closely?
I played for the Steelers, but I am a huge fan. I was a fan before I played for them and am a big fan after. My brother is a huge fan so we go back and forth with each other about the team.
