Bengals NFL Super Bowl Backer Reggie Williams has been Germaine Pratt’s Number
For this reason, Reggie Williams, the one linebacker to play in each Bengals Tremendous Bowls, is fiercely pleased with his quantity and not sought after it retired when buddies advised No. 57 must blitz into historical past along with his 206 video games, 2nd maximum in all of Bengaldom.
“I really like seeing my quantity nonetheless making performs,” Williams says this present day from his Florida house. “It was once this type of giant second for the entire protection, the entire town, for Who Dey Country. He is a considering guy’s linebacker like I needed to be.
“He noticed it. He learn it and completed it flawlessly. My middle was once in my throat when the quarterback introduced it. Then I noticed a flash of color on the objective line. Our color.”
His Honor, the one participant to start out in a Tremendous Bowl whilst additionally lining up at town council conferences the closing time the Bengals went to the massive sport, is a large lobbyist of linebacker Germaine Pratt’s, the present No. 57. He was once speaking in regards to the interception that stored the Wild Card win over the Raiders, however, he is additionally partial to linebacker Logan Wilson, the opposite linebacker that ended the protection’s closing stand with some other interception the following week in Tennessee.
“Their dating rings a bell in my memory of what I had with Jim LeClair after we went to the primary Tremendous Bowl,” Williams says. “This protection is more or less doing what we did (in 1988). Turnovers and we made giant performs after we became it over.”
Williams, who has probably the most interceptions (16) and sacks (62.5) of all Bengals linebackers, was once on a 1988 protection that compelled 5 turnovers of their two playoff wins heading into the Tremendous Bowl. Pratt’s Bengals have six turnovers within the closing two video games.
“Sensible linebackers who make giant performs,” Williams says. “I am taking part in it.”
He felt much more kinship with Pratt when he learn Branson Wright’s tale for The Undefeated that detailed Pratt’s affinity for old-fashioned R and B tune handed down from his mom. Pratt, who’s referred to as a strolling movie vault (some other trait Williams admires), watches his Xs and Os to the sound observe of The Spinners and Patti Labelle and the like.
“His play checklist can have been our play checklist from the ’80s,” Williams says.
That is proper down the Motown two-gap of Williams, the Flint, Mich., local who went house to Detroit for Tremendous Bowl XVI. He nonetheless recollects Diana Ross gently pushing him out of how to get to midfield to sing the nationwide anthem and the way “It happy me.”
He additionally has a reference to Pratt’s faculty. North Carolina State could also be the college of Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, Williams’ shut circle of relatives pal and creator of the preface to Williams’ memoir.
The overdue Harrison Wilson, Russell’s father, performed with Williams at Dartmouth, and when Harrison labored at Procter & Gamble his son was once born in Cincinnati right through that 1988 season. He was once born Nov. 29, between Riverfront Stadium wins over the Expenses and Chargers and his dad almost certainly did not make the ones.
“His father was once an ideal large receiver and an ideal teammate,” Williams says. “I might get him tickets for the video games after they lived right here. I noticed an interview with Russell the place he stated he was once rooting for the Bengals. It is the place he was once born. So I think like I have been given roughly a connection to N.C. State.”
Williams could also be buddies with one of the biggest Chiefs of all-time, Professional Soccer Corridor-of-Status linebacker Willie Lanier. Lanier’s closing season, 1977, was once Williams’ 2nd, however, he is been a lifelong fan. Williams wore his No. 63 at Dartmouth. They have got been buddies ever since they met at a tournament the place Williams’ set free a “There is my hero,” when he glimpsed him.
