Willie Roaf

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Willie Roaf

| image = Willie Roaf at Camp Basra 2-3-09.JPG

| caption = Roaf in February 2008

| number = 77

| position = Offensive tackle

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|4|18|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 320

| high_school = Pine Bluff

| college = Louisiana Tech (1989–1992)

| draftyear = 1993

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 8

| pastteams = * New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1993|2001}})

Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2002|2005}})

| highlights = * 4× First-team All-Pro (1994, 1995, 2003, 2004)

5× Second-team All-Pro (1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2005)
11× Pro Bowl (1994–2000, 2002–2005)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
PFWA All-Rookie Team (1993)
New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame
New Orleans Saints Ring of Honor
Consensus All-American (1992)
First Team All-South Independent (1991)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 189

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 189

| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue3 = 4

| pfr = RoafWi00

| HOF = willie-roaf

| CollegeHOF = 2365

}}

William Layton Roaf (born April 18, 1970), nicknamed "Nasty",Damon Hack, "[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/sports/football/05chiefs.html The Fall Hunt Is On at Arrowhead] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528030140/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/sports/football/05chiefs.html |date=May 28, 2015 }}," New York Times (September 5, 2004). Retrieved February 15, 2012. is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors. He was a first-round pick in the 1993 NFL draft, and played professionally for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. An 11-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Early life

Roaf was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.National Football League, Historical Players, [http://www.nfl.com/player/willieroaf/2502682/profile Willie Roaf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205224722/http://www.nfl.com/player/willieroaf/2502682/profile |date=February 5, 2012 }}. Retrieved February 15, 2012. He graduated from Pine Bluff High School,databaseFootball.com, Players, {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120302130213/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=RoafWil01 Willie Roaf]}}. Retrieved February 15, 2012. where he played for the Pine Bluff Zebras high school football and basketball teams. He was lightly recruited out of high school, and even considered pursuing basketball instead of football in college.

His father, Clifton George Roaf, was a dentist and his mother, Andree Layton Roaf, was the first black woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court.[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4019 "Andree Yvonne Layton Roaf (1941–)"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620163359/http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4019 |date=June 20, 2010 }} at Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture (retrieved July 1, 2009).[http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ar--obit-roaf,0,1295573.story "Andree Layton Roaf, first black woman to serve on Arkansas Supreme Court, dies at 68"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703112651/http://www.kfsm.com/news/sns-ap-ar--obit-roaf,0,1295573.story |date=July 3, 2009 }}, Associated Press at KFSM-TV website, July 1, 2009.

College career

Roaf received an athletic scholarship to attend Louisiana Tech University, where he had an outstanding career for the Bulldogs from 1989 to 1992. Known for his blocking ability and his considerable speed for his size, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, and was also a finalist in his senior year for the Outland Trophy for the best offensive lineman in college.{{cite news |url=https://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/48693322.html |first=Sheldon |last=Mickles |title=Saints' Roaf ruled the line |date=June 21, 2009 |newspaper=The Advocate |page=3C |archive-date=July 27, 2009 |access-date=December 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727022657/http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/48693322.html? |url-status=dead }} Roaf made appearances in the Hula Bowl and the East–West Shrine Game.

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 4 1/2

| weight = 308

| dash = 5.03

| ten split = 1.76

| twenty split = 2.92

| shuttle = 4.82

| vertical = 24.0

| broad ft = 9

| broad in = 4

| bench = 25

| arm span = 34 7/8

| hand span = 10 3/4

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=24325 |title=Willie Roaf, Combine Results, OT - Louisiana Tech |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019102643/https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=24325 |url-status=live }}

}}

He began his professional football career with the NFL's New Orleans Saints, who selected him with the eighth pick of the first round in the 1993 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1993 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=October 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030130727/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/draft.htm |url-status=live }} The draft pick was acquired from the Detroit Lions for the rights to Pat Swilling.Peter King, "{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100702040240/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138430/index.htm Inside The NFL Draft]}}," CNNSI (May 3, 1993). Roaf played nine seasons for the Saints;Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RoafWi00.htm Willie Roaf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126065846/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RoafWi00.htm |date=January 26, 2018 }}. Retrieved February 15, 2012. he was named to seven Pro Bowls, and won a spot on both the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and the 2000s All-Decade Team, making him the most awarded player in Saints history. Roaf suffered a season-ending injury in 2001 and then was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in March 2002 for a conditional draft choice. He played four more seasons with the Chiefs, and was selected for the Pro Bowl in each of those four years, for a total of 11 Pro Bowl selections. His election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was announced on February 4, 2012. Roaf played a pivotal role in the run block on the offense with the most rushing touchdowns back to back seasons in NFL history. #1,4 & 5.

On July 28, 2006, Roaf told the Kansas City Star that he was retiring from football. General manager Carl Peterson said he was holding out hoping that Roaf would reverse his decision, but Roaf said he was "solid" on retirement.{{Cite web |last=Pasquarelli |first=Len |author-link=Len Pasquarelli |date=2006-07-28 |title=Chiefs Pro Bowl tackle Roaf retires |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2532615 |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=ESPN.com |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223101807/https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2532615 |url-status=live }} In 2009 Roaf took his first coaching job, as the offensive line coach at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California.[http://www.amarillo.com/stories/051709/hss_hs3.shtml "Willie Roaf brings expertise to Area Combine: Former Chiefs tackle to coach linemen"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604011540/http://amarillo.com/stories/051709/hss_hs3.shtml |date=June 4, 2011 }}, Amarillo Globe-News, May 17, 2009.

Roaf has been elected to Sports Halls of Fame for Louisiana Tech Athletics (in 2003), Arkansas (in 2007),[http://www.arksportshalloffame.org/lists.php/mode/details/id/269 "Willie Roaf"] at Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame website (retrieved July 4, 2009). Louisiana (in 2009),Brian Allee-Walsh, [http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2009/06/exsaints_tackle_willie_roaf_to.html "Ex-New Orleans Saints tackle Willie Roaf to make stop at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624171102/http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2009/06/exsaints_tackle_willie_roaf_to.html |date=June 24, 2009 }}, The Times-Picayune, June 20, 2009 Greater New Orleans (in 2012), and the New Orleans Saints (in 2008).Mike Triplett, [http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-4/1211347217313410.xml&coll=1 "Roaf chosen for Saints' Hall of Fame"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530154409/http://www.nola.com/saints/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-4/1211347217313410.xml&coll=1 |date=May 30, 2008 }}, The Times-Picayune, May 21, 2008. East West Shrine (2018) He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 4, 2012, in his second year of eligibility.{{cite web|title=Class of 2011 finalists |url=http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/2011/1/9/class-of-2011-finalists/ |publisher=Pro Football HOF |access-date=November 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112045901/http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/2011/1/9/class-of-2011-finalists/ |archive-date=November 12, 2011 |date=January 9, 2011 |url-status=live }} Roaf went into the Saints Ring of Honor (2013) Arkansas Black Hall of Fame along with his mother, a legacy inductee. (2013) Roaf was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.{{Cite web|date=2014-05-22|title=Willie Roaf Selected to 2014 College Football Hall of Fame|url=https://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/willie-roaf-selected-to-2014-college-football-hall-of-fame/|access-date=2021-12-01|website=Sporting Life Arkansas|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201203705/https://www.sportinglifearkansas.com/willie-roaf-selected-to-2014-college-football-hall-of-fame/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=2014-05-22|title=Roaf selected for college hall|url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2014/may/22/roaf-selected-for-college-hall/|access-date=2021-12-01|website=Arkansas Online|language=en|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201203705/https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2014/may/22/roaf-selected-for-college-hall/|url-status=live}} Roaf is also in the Kansas Chiefs Chiefs Hall of Honor (2011), was as NFL 100th Anniversary Team finalist (2019), and has been inducted to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (2022).{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Personal life

Roaf has two sisters and one brother. His sister Phoebe Alison Roaf is the Episcopal Bishop for the Diocese of West Tennessee.{{cite web |last=Kuruvilla |first=Carol |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Former Lawyer Becomes First Black Female Episcopal Bishop In The South |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/phoebe-roaf-first-black-woman-episcopal-bishop-south_n_5cd42e01e4b0db2524b6fd66 |access-date=December 1, 2020 |website=HuffPost |language=en |archive-date=October 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022102704/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/phoebe-roaf-first-black-woman-episcopal-bishop-south_n_5cd42e01e4b0db2524b6fd66 |url-status=live }}

Roaf has four children and one step daughter.{{cite web|url=https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_be80d94c-9c5d-11ea-b9cb-03ceaef7f072.html|title=Q&A: Willie Roaf on the toughest player he ever faced and his favorite Saints memory|first=Luke|last=Johnson|date=22 May 2020|access-date=12 April 2022|publisher=nola.com}} He is married to Angela Hernandez Roaf.{{cite web|url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/william-5263/|title=William (Willie) Roaf (1970–)|work=Encyclopedia of Arkansas|first=Jimmy|last=Cunningham|date=28 September 2021|access-date=12 April 2022|archive-date=January 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117165858/https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/william-5263/|url-status=live}}