By KEITH WHITMIRE
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
Dec. 24, 2010
IRVING, Texas -- Teddy Williams is known as a fast guy, but he doesn't always take the most direct route.
At least not when it comes to a football career.
Williams hasn't played football since midway through his senior year at Tyler's John Tyler High School. Five years later, he's a full-fledged member of the Dallas Cowboys.
"God has mysterious ways of bringing crazy things that you want back in your life," Williams said.
Williams was on his way to playing football at a big-time college when he broke his ankle in the fourth game of his senior season at John Tyler. The football scholarship offers disappeared, so Williams pursued a track career at UT-San Antonio.
He went on to become a four-time All-American in track at UTSA, but that was as far as the sport would take him.
Cowboys scouts had kept an eye on the 6-foot-3, 198-pounder because of his rare combination of size and speed -- he once ran a wind-aided 9.9 seconds in the 100 meters -- and his
football background. It didn't hurt that the Cowboys have training camp in San Antonio.
He was invited to Dallas' training camp this season and showed enough promise that he was placed on the practice squad as a long-term project.
He went from project to the fast track this week when injured quarterback Tony Romo was placed on injured reserve. The Cowboys used that roster opening to promote Williams to the 53-man roster.
"It's just a great feeling inside to know that you're wanted, that you're wanted at that level," Williams said. "And not just to contribute in practice but actually contribute on Sundays."
Of course, there's still another hurdle: being placed on the active roster for a game. But it might be a good sign it's Romo's place he's taking on the roster.
Romo also began his career as an undrafted rookie, which practically defines "long shot" for someone with aspirations to be an NFL starting quarterback.
Williams' odds were made that much longer by the fact UTSA didn't even have a football team when he was there. UTSA will field its first football team in 2011.
Then again, Williams thought his football days were over, anyway. He was a track man all the way.
"I'd catch passes with my friends, just playing around, occasionally," Williams said. "But for the most part I was just focused on what was paying for my school."
Williams was originally groomed to be a defensive back with the Cowboys but recently switched to receiver.
"It's just great to be able to contribute," Williams said. "I just want to be able to contribute to the team in any way I can, whether it's special teams, offense, defense, whatever."
He's even joked with some of the coaches about playing quarterback in the Cowboys' version of the Wildcat offense.
Williams might laugh about it now, but the way his career is going, anything's possible.
