VIDEO -Imagine that you’ve been working towards one specific skill set your entire life, knowing that someday you can make a profession out of it someday. You are one of the best in the world at this trait, from a very young age, throughout college, and into the pros you were training your body and mind on these specific skills. Then after two years of working your ass off to make the 53-man roster you’re asked to convert everything you’ve learned to defense and learn something completely new.
Buffalo Bills safety and captain George Wilson made a career out of this story. He was one of the best receivers to ever come out of Arkansas being the 16th player in school history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a career. Although undrafted out of college he signed with the Detroit Lions in 2004. The Lions let him go and he signed with the Bills practice squad later that year.
Wilson struggled to make the 53-man roster in 2005 and 2006 but in 2007, the Bills were making the transition to start him as a safety. On October 18, 2007, after a long two years of sporadic playing time, Wilson got his first start against the Dallas Cowboys. He explains why that game is his favorite football moment in our exclusive video interview.
From then on the team captain has made a significant impact on and off the field for Buffalo. He’s played in virtually every game since 2008, in 2009 was the first defensive back since 2004 to record two sacks in a game, needless to say the coaching staff for the Bills made the right move converting Wilson to defense.
Wilson’s seamless transition to defense has allowed him to make a valuable impact on the Buffalo community being named one of the most active players off the field. His extensive work includes the “That’s Life” program, volunteer work with the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo and the Play 60 Challenge. Because of his efforts he was awarded the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2009.
One very interesting tidbit is that Wilson is pursuing acting and recently made his debut in a Mary J Blige music video titled “Hood Love” in which he played the lead male and Blige’s love interest.
The captain and renaissance man is on pace to have his most significant season yet with the Bills. This one time receiver ranks fifth in the league in interceptions with three and his 57 tackles puts him at ninth in the league. This pace will dwarf his previous seasons’ numbers and will put him on the ballot for some more awards if he keeps it up.
