Pro Player Insiders, Theresa Villano, got to catch up with #95′s rock, Mrs. Williams this week after giving birth to her fifth son two weeks ago in Western New York. Jill opens up about everything from meeting in study hall at LSU to now remembering the NFL seasons according to pregnancies.
Pro Player Insiders: Jill, you are known in Buffalo as Pro Bowler Kyle Williams’ wife, but what people don’t know about you is you run a full house and just had your fifth child. What is he like and how perfect is birthing in the offseason?
Jill Williams: Well, he is only a week old, but so far, he fits right in to the chaos! He’s easy going and laid back and his brothers and sisters adore him! And yes, an offseason baby is an added bonus! I’ve had a training camp baby and I so appreciate this little break and the help I get from Kyle during this time.
PPI: Is it true your background is in education? How does that relate to being a mom to 5 children?
JW: Yes, I guess that is true! I graduated with a degree in Kinesiology and a concentration in Health and PE and earned my teaching degree. Then Kyle was drafted to Buffalo and I got pregnant with our first child, so I never fully got to see that career take off! Ha! With that being said, the time I did spend teaching PE in grades K-3, I learned to keep the kids busy and moving because when they get bored, they tend to act out or get in to trouble…its the same at home with our kids, too!
PPI: You spend half of your year in Buffalo and the rest in Louisiana. How is that for your family and your kids to move mid year?
JW: We love it. We get the best of both worlds. When its football season, we are ready to be in Buffalo, enjoying WNY’s beautiful fall weather. Then when it’s time for the season to be over, we are craving our family time and the Louisiana sunshine. Our kids have adjusted so well. I think any wife/girlfriend or mom that has spent any amount of time in the NFL has to learn to be flexible and adapt. Our kids are the same way. They have two sets of friends, two schools they love, and although not everyone does it, it works well for our family.
PPI: What are your thoughts on the Bills 2014-’15 season? What do you hope for them with the new coach Rex Ryan ?
JW: We want to get to the playoffs!! I think thats been on everyone’s thoughts for a long time in Buffalo!
PPI: Kyle has been a Pro Bowl player 4 times! What was the moment like hearing that he has been named essentially one of the best players in the league? What were the first things Kyle said after he was named in 2009?
JW: I was extremely proud. And excited to go to Hawaii! Ha! (chuckles) I knew how hard he had worked in season and during the offseason year after year. Then to be rewarded with that honor was awesome. Gosh, what did Kyle think? I don’t remember! To think back to 2009?That was 3 babies ago!
PPI: Tell us about your Pro Bowl experience as a wife. What was your most enjoyable part of the last Pro Bowl?
JW: Bringing our kids out to enjoy in their Dad’s success, and make memories that will hopefully last them a lifetime. Like I tell their teachers when we inform them we are taking them out of school for the week…its not every day your Dad goes to the Pro Bowl, so we are going to enjoy it while it lasts!
PPI: What does it mean to you knowing your husband has so many adoring fans in Buffalo? Has there ever been a fan has reached out to you?
JW: I think its great! Buffalo has such a loyal fan base and we’ve been there his entire career, so I’m glad they like him! I can’t say that there has been a fan that has reached out to me.I try to stay in the shadows at games.
Woman of the Month…
PPI: We want to get to know you. Describe yourself in one sentence.
JW: Can I give adjectives instead? (chuckles) I think I am outgoing, hospitable, caring, and competitive.
PPI: Tell me a little about your passions or projects you are working on outside of being a mom?
JW: Well, I can’t say I have many projects going on. I like to scrapbook if that counts?! I am way behind and only through the 3rd kids’ baby book. It will get done eventually, but with that being said I would have to say my passion is my kids. I’ve been called to be their Mom. That is a full time job. I love it and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Faith…
PPI: Tell me about the role faith has played in your life.
JW: Well, its where everything begins and ends. Kyle and I both love Jesus and pray our kids will one day make that decision to trust Him as well. We pray over them every night to love Jesus and to love others. That is our goal for our kids.
PPI: You and Kyle are a huge part of the Buffalo Bill’s team bible study with Athletes in Action run by Fred and Kathy Raines. How has that influenced your life as an NFL family?
JW: We love Fred and Kathy! They have faithfully served the Bills team for close to or maybe over 30 years! The team Bible Study gives you a sense of a church home. As we all know, we play on Sundays…its very difficult to go to church then and so to have another time to get together with other believers during the week is very special.
PPI: What other Bills couples have you developed fellowship with through Bible study?
JW: Gosh, over the years so many have come through! Off the top of my head…Chris and Natalie Kelsay who retired and few years back, as well as Jason and Natalie Whittle, Scott and Alissa Chandler and several of the single guys as well like Jairus Byrd, CJ Spiller to name a few.
PPI: What bible verse does the Williams family love and live by?
JW: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments I give you today are to be on your hearts.” Deuteronomy 6:5-6
Your husband and Football…
PPI: How did you meet Mr. Kyle Williams? You are both LSU Tigers, correct?
JW: Correct! We met in study hall. I was the manager of the LSU women’s volleyball team, and a mutual volleyball friend introduced us one day in the Academic Center for Student Athletes.
PPI: How many years have you been married? After that many years of marriage, you must tell us one thing people need to know about Kyle? Doesn’t he wear cowboy boots?
JW: We will be married 10 years in May. He owns cowboy boots, but doesn’t wear them as much as he wears a pair of hunting boots. One thing people need to know…he can dance!!
PPI: What has been your favorite moment watching your husband play?
JW: It’s hard to pick just one, but one game does stand out against the Steelers several years back. I think I was pregnant with our third child. That’s kind of how I remember the seasons…if I was pregnant or not! There was one defensive series where he literally made every play. He made the first a sack on first down, then a tackle for loss on second down, then another sack on 3rd down. The crowd was wild that day.
PPI: Which of your husband’s current teammates or LSU alumni could we find your family hanging with?
JW: Well, we just ‘lost’ a bunch of our friends to free agency a few weeks ago. It makes me sad. However, we live in the same neighborhood in Louisiana as Andrew and Melissa Whitworth and their kids. He is a 9 year vet with the Bengals and Kyle’s former teammate at LSU.
BuffAlove…
You live in Buffalo during the season so we have to hit you with the PPI Buffalo FIRE 5:
1. Best Restaurant? Hutch’s
2. Favorite place to shop or take kids? R&D Barn to Shop, to take kids-Green Lake
3.Go to tourist attraction for your visitors? Niagara Falls!
4.Favorite current Bills player, besides Kyle? Marcell Dareus
5.Best thing about Bills Mafia fans? Their Loyalty!
Being an NFL wife…
PPI: Essentially when your husband was drafted, you were drafted too. What was it like as a rookie wife in a new city and how has your life changed in the in the 9 years Kyle has played?
JW: I learned how to adapt and go with the flow and be supportive! To listen to him when he walks in the door and not unload my days complaints on him. The pressure they are under day in and day out to perform at the highest level is sometimes unbearable to thinkg about. You cannot control anything in the NFL and you realize that real quick to release control and trust that God has a plan whatever happens whether an injury, or a close friend getting cut or traded, etc. Our lives have changed for the better! Not many people get to experience this and so we are grateful for the opportunity and are enjoying it while it lasts!
PPI: Has there been a fellow NFL wife you have looked up to or bonded with. If so, who? Tell me about her.
JW: During our first years in Buffalo we were fortunate to be around veteran couples and I learned so much from them about life in football and family, marriage etc. The one couple that comes to mind is Jason and Natalie Whittle. Jason was a 10 year vet when he came to Buffalo and they spent a few seasons with us, and really impacted Kyle and me in all areas of our lives.
PPI: Your children are a huge part of your life. Tell us a couple words to describe each of them. Which is the biggest Bills fan?
Kate: kind and caring, motherly
Anna Claire: spunky, competitive, passionate
Reed: wild with a sweet spirit
Gray: He’s not yet two so he is still developing a personality, but he loves to play with balls and be outside!
Bennett: sweet and perfect
Anna Claire is our biggest fan. Well, both girls, but it bothers her when daddy loses. She can sit and watch football with Kyle. She names every team and gives her opinion on whether she likes them or not. She is passionate!
PPI: What is the biggest stereotype about NFL wives that you have found to be “not true”?
JW: I have a great story. I walked into Kate’s school on one of her first days of kindergarten and the lady at the front desk asked me to sign a few papers. She then recognized my name, looked at me and said, “Well, this is such a nice surprise. I pictured an NFL wife to be walking in here with fur and high heels. You are normal looking!” Ha! Either that says something about the perception of us, or that I really am an average dresser (chuckles).
Playing on the Bills over the past decade, Kyle has come with a lot of changes. Rex Ryan is not the first of multiple coaching changes, teammate changes, and weathering extreme snow storms. We have realized the two things amongst all this change that has been consistent #95 always the #BillsMafia proud with his big plays, but more importantly the support of his best friend, Jill.
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