HBCU legend Doug Williams has been having a phenomenal year. He recently was announced to be a semi-finalist in the contributor category for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is now receiving a huge honor from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Williams is set to be the recipient of the 2024 AFCA Trailblazer Award, which will be presented to him at the 2025 AFCA Convention that is set to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Out of all of the players who played under Eddie G. Robinson at Grambling, Williams stands out as one of the most significant. Williams played for Robinson at Grambling from 1974-1977. In his time at quarterback, the team won three SWAC Championships and went 36-7. His stellar play under Robinson earned him significant Heisman trophy buzz, finishing fourth in 1977.

He went on to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 17th pick in the 1978 NFL Draft. He eventually went on to join the Washington Redskins, in which he made history as the first black quarterback to win Super Bowl MVP in 1988.

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Williams made history again 10 years later when he became coach Eddie G. Robinson’s successor as coach of Grambling. In 2000, he achieved his first SWAC title as head coach, boasting a remarkable 10-2 overall record.

The subsequent year, he guided the Tigers to clinch the Black College Football National Title, concluding the season with an impressive 10-1 record. Continuing his winning streak, he secured a three-peat of SWAC championships in 2002, leading the G-Men to an 11-2 record.

He now serves as the Washington Commanders Senior Advisor to the General Manager and co-founded the Black College Football Hall of Fame with James “Shack” Harris in 2019. The Hall of Fame honors the greatest players, coaches, and contributors in HBCU football history.

Williams is also up for consideration in the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. He’s a semi finalist in the contributor category, alongside K.S. “Bud” Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff, and John Wooten.