Kyle Williams has been referred to as the “heart and soul” of the Buffalo Bills throughout his lengthy tenure in Western New York and while that is certainly a compliment there are many who are unaware of his talent as the Bills were not exactly potent during his playing days.
A mid round pick from LSU, Kyle Williams joined Buffalo in the 2006 season and this would be the only team he would ever play for over his 13 year NFL career. The Defensive Tackle always left it all on the gridiron where he was not just the aforementioned heart of the team but was their anchor. He quietly was chosen for six Pro Bowls and he played 183 Games recording 48.5 Quarterback Sacks with 611 Tackles.
Vastly underappreciated throughout his 14-year career in the NFL, Henry Thomas is best known for the first half of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, the team that drafted him in 1987.
Thomas was an All-Rookie at Defensive Tackle, and was equally adept at stopping the run as well as rushing the passer. Thomas was the league leader in Forced Fumbles (4) in 1988 and had back-to-back Pro Bowls in 1991 & 1992 with a Second Team All-Pro in 1993.
Thomas signed with Detroit in 1995 where he had his first double-digit year in Sacks (10.5). After another year in Detroit, Thomas closed his career with four seasons in New England. Statistically, Thomas compiled 1,006 Tackles and 93.5 Sacks, a numerical showcase of his versatility and balanced defensive skills.
Andrew Whitworth played his college ball at LSU and was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals in the Second Round of the 2006 Draft. Although he became a starter as a rookie, Whitworth didn’t break out until his 30s, earning his first Pro Bowl at 31 in 2012. Earning a First Team All-Pro in 2015 and a second Pro Bowl, Whitworth secured a third in 2016, his last with the Bengals.
Whitworth signed with the Rams in 2017, and in his first year in L.A., he was again a First Team All-Pro, and captured his fourth and final trip to the Pro Bowl. Staying with the Rams until his retirement, Whitworth ended his career perfectly, winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year the day before he anchored the line that helped bring the Rams the Super Bowl.
Whitworth left the game with 239 Games Played, and his 142 in Approximate Value was then 88th all-time.
With his play in the last half of his career, Whitworth carved out a case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
There are only three seasons to draw from in the professional career of Gaynell Tinsley, but it was deemed good enough to get him an All-Decade Selection for the 1930s.
An SEC Player of the Year in 1939 with LSU, Ken Kavanaugh was chosen by the Chicago Bears the following year in the 3rd Round of the NFL Draft. The End would be a member of the dominant “Monsters of the Midway” that won back-to-back NFL Championships (1940 & 1941), scoring a TD in the first one (which was the lopsided 73-0 dismantling of the Washington Redskins).
Like many of his peers, Kavanaugh enlisted to serve his country in World War II, and when he returned, the former LSU Tiger picked up right where he left off. Kavanaugh would again help the Bears win the 1946 NFL Championship. He would be named a First Team All-Pro in various publications three times and would twice lead the NFL in Touchdown Receptions before he retired after 1950. He was named to the 1940's All-Decade Team.