Bill Budness

{{Short description|American football player (1943–2018)}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

|name=Bill Budness

|image=

|birth_date={{birth date|1943|1|30}}

|birth_place=Chicopee, Massachusetts, U.S.

|death_date={{Death date and age|2018|1|24|1943|1|30}}

|death_place=Georgetown, Delaware, U.S.

|afldraftyear=1964

|afldraftround=4

|afldraftpick=31

|position=Linebacker

|high_school=Chicopee

|college=Boston University

|teams=

• Oakland Raiders (1964–1970)

|highlights =

• AFL champion (1967)
• Second-team All-American (1963)
• Second-team All-East (1963)

|statleague=professional

|statlabel1=Games played

|statvalue1=92

|statlabel2=Games started

|statvalue2=4

|statlabel3=Interceptions

|statvalue3= 3

|pfr=B/BudnBi20

}}

William Walter Budness (January 30, 1943 – January 24, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for seven seasons for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boston University Terriers.

He played in three consecutive AFL title games (1967, 1968, and 1969),

with his team winning in 1967, earning the right to play in Super Bowl II.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BudnBi20.htm|title = Bill Budness Stats| website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}

He was a high school senior captain in 1959. He would lead the team past Holyoke to win Chicopee's first AA Conference title (20–0).{{cite web | url=https://www.masslive.com/sports/2008/11/from_bill_moges_great_chicopee.html | title=From Chicopee coach Bill Moge to Holyoke's powerhouses, this football rivalry has been special | date=November 26, 2008 }}

He is considered one of the best linebackers to play for Boston University where he graduated in 1964 with a degree in education.{{cite web|url=http://www.goterriers.com/hallfame/budness-william.html |title=Official Website of the Boston University Department of AthleticsHall of Fame - Official Website of the Boston University Department of Athletics |accessdate=2012-08-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506014557/http://www.goterriers.com/hallfame/budness-william.html |archivedate=2012-05-06 }}

After retiring from professional football, he put his degree to work, teaching gym at Greenfield High School, in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

William W. Budness, son of the late William and Charlotte (Ludwin) Budness died peacefully on January 24, 2018, surrounded by his loved ones at Paradise Senior Living in Georgetown, DE.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?n&pid=187987048&referrer=0&preview=True|title=William W. Budness Obituary|last=|first=|website=Legacy.com |date=January 27, 2018}}