Strange NFL Transaction: Eagles Cut 51-Year-Old Offensive Tackle Bernard Williams
Former First-Round Draft Pick Released After 29 Years
Every day, the NFL transaction wire is filled with news of players being signed, cut, or placed on injured reserve. While some of these transactions make headlines, others go unnoticed. However, one particular move this week has caught the attention of football fans and experts alike.
The Philadelphia Eagles made a surprising decision to cut offensive tackle Bernard Williams, who is now 51 years old and last played in the NFL almost three decades ago.
Williams, a first-round draft pick of the Eagles in 1994, had a promising rookie year. However, his career took a turn when he was suspended before the 1995 season after testing positive for marijuana. Despite his suspension, Williams continued to play football in various leagues such as the XFL, the Canadian Football League, and Arena Football. Many assumed that his ties with the NFL had long expired.
So why did the Eagles choose to release Williams this week? According to Williams, he believes it may be related to a benefit for former players that he recently applied for.
“I was actually at work when Ventell Boulware, a scout for the Packers and a former player I coached in high school, called me and asked about my recent involvement with the NFL,” Williams revealed in an interview with Andrew DiCecco of InsideTheBirds.com. “I mentioned that I had just applied for some benefits, and he informed me that my name had appeared on the transaction wire. I was taken aback and asked him why. He replied, ‘The Eagles released you.’ I had some suspicions, but they never officially released me. I always wondered what happened. When I went to Canada, the Eagles retained my rights throughout that period. However, I had no idea that I was still on the roster after 29 years.”
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Williams remains a loyal Eagles fan and has been enjoying the team’s recent success. It was only this week that he discovered he was technically still an Eagle.