Roderick Kevin Woodson was born on March 10,1965 and is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League for 17 seasons.
115 Facts About Rod Woodson
2.
Rod Woodson is currently the head coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers.
3.
Rod Woodson had two shorter stints for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders.
4.
Widely considered one of the greatest all-time defensive players ever, Rod Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown, and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.
5.
Rod Woodson was an inductee of the Class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 8,2009.
6.
Rod Woodson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
7.
Rod Woodson played most of his career as a cornerback then switched to safety during the later part of his career.
8.
From his retirement in 2003 to February 2011, Rod Woodson worked as an analyst for the NFL Network and for the Big Ten Network.
9.
Rod Woodson spent the 2011 season as the Raiders' cornerbacks coach.
10.
Rod Woodson then returned to broadcasting, working for Westwood One as an analyst on college football and the NFL before resuming his coaching career in 2014.
11.
Rod Woodson was announced in July 2022 as the Ravens' new radio color commentator beginning with the upcoming season.
12.
Rod Woodson accepted a full scholarship to play football at Purdue University, in part because of a desire to pursue a degree in electrical engineering.
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Rod Woodson played primarily as a cornerback and kick returner, but saw time on offense as a running back and wide receiver.
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Rod Woodson was named an All-American defensive back in 1985 and 1986; he was named an All-American returner in 1986 and was a three-time All-Big Ten first team selection.
15.
Rod Woodson left Purdue with 13 individual records, tying the school record with 11 career interceptions, which he returned for 276 yards and three touchdowns.
16.
Rod Woodson currently is ranked in the top ten in career interceptions, solo tackles, total tackles, passes deflected, and kickoff return yardage as a Boilermaker.
17.
Rod Woodson was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.
18.
Rod Woodson was joined in the honor by Drew Brees, Bob Griese, and Leroy Keyes.
19.
On January 8,2016, Rod Woodson was selected for induction in the College Football Hall of Fame.
20.
Rod Woodson finished second at the 1985 NCAA championships in the 55 meter hurdles and third at the 1987 NCAA championships in the 55 meter hurdles.
21.
Rod Woodson held the NCAA 60 meter hurdles record for 10 years.
22.
Rod Woodson earned five Big Ten championships while at Purdue.
23.
Rod Woodson missed training camp due to a contract holdout that lasted 95 days after he was unable to come to terms on a contract with the Steelers.
24.
Rod Woodson was a World-Class 110-meter hurdler and ran track on the European track circuit during his contract holdout.
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Rod Woodson had the fourth fastest 110-meter hurdle time in the world.
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Rod Woodson won the bronze medal at the 1987 USA Olympic festival, and won medals in several IAAF Grand Prix meetings in Europe.
27.
Rod Woodson is one of only two athletes in history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and earn a world ranking in the high hurdles.
28.
Rod Woodson finished his debut with two kick returns for 48-yards and two punt returns for 12-yards.
29.
Rod Woodson finished his rookie season in 1987 with 20 combined tackles in eight games and no starts.
30.
Rod Woodson returned 13 kicks for 290-yards and made 16 punt returns for 135-yards.
31.
Rod Woodson entered training camp in 1988 slated as the starting cornerback.
32.
Head coach Chuck Noll named Rod Woodson a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, opposite fellow cornerback Dwayne Woodruff.
33.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1988 and recorded 88 combined tackles, four interceptions, and was credited with half a sack.
34.
Rod Woodson returned 37 kicks for 850-yards and a touchdown and 33 punts for 281-yards.
35.
Rod Woodson started 15 games in 1989 and recorded 80 combined tackles and three interceptions.
36.
Rod Woodson returned 36 kickoffs for 982-yards and one touchdown and had 29 punt returns for 207-yards.
37.
The Pittsburgh Steelers promoted linebackers coach Dave Brazil to defensive coordinator after Rod Woodson Rust accepted the head coaching position with the New England Patriots.
38.
On December 20,1990, it was announced that Rod Woodson was selected to play in the 1991 Pro Bowl.
39.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1990 and recorded 66 combined tackles and five interceptions.
40.
Rod Woodson had 35 kick returns for 764 return yards and 38 punt returns for 398 return yards and a touchdown.
41.
Rod Woodson was inactive for the Steelers' Week 13 victory against the Houston Oilers due to an injury.
42.
Rod Woodson started in 15 games in 1991 and recorded 73 combined tackles, 3 interceptions, and a sack.
43.
Rod Woodson returned 44 kicks for 880 return yards and had 28 punt returns for 320-yards.
44.
On May 19,1992, it was reported that Rod Woodson was one of nine NFL players to sue the National Football League for unrestricted free agency.
45.
On December 24,1992, it was announced that Rod Woodson was selected to play in the 1993 Pro Bowl.
46.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1992 and recorded 100 combined tackles, a career-high six sacks, and four interceptions.
47.
Rod Woodson received an $1.11 million settlement from the league after being one of 15 plaintiffs to sue the league in a class action antitrust lawsuit.
48.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1993 and recorded 95 combined tackles, a career-high eight interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown.
49.
Rod Woodson made 15 kick returns for 294 return yards and 42 punt returns for 338 return yards.
50.
Rod Woodson was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
51.
Rod Woodson returned as the No 1 starting cornerback in 1994, opposite Deon Figures.
52.
Rod Woodson started in 15 games in 1994 and recorded 67 tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, and a touchdown.
53.
Rod Woodson made 15 kick returns for a total of 365 return yards and 39 punt returns for 319 return yards.
54.
Rod Woodson started as the No 1 cornerback to begin the 1995 regular season, alongside Willie Williams.
55.
On September 11,1995, Rod Woodson underwent reconstructive surgery and had his ACL in his left knee replaced with a patella tendon from his right knee.
56.
Rod Woodson became the first player to return from reconstructive knee surgery in the same season and returned after only 19 weeks.
57.
Rod Woodson returned as the starting cornerback alongside Willie Williams, but was relieved of kick and punt return duties.
58.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1996 and recorded 71 combined tackles, six interceptions, a touchdown, and a sack.
59.
On January 5,1997, Rod Woodson recorded seven combined tackles in his last appearance as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
60.
Rod Woodson became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 after he was unable to agree to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
61.
Rod Woodson was plagued by injuries in 1996, including a strained Achilles tendon, a sprained knee, and an injury to his back that substantially hurt his value on the free agent market.
62.
Head coach Steve Mariucci named Rod Woodson a starting cornerback on the 49ers' depth chart to begin the regular season, opposite Darnell Walker.
63.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1997 and recorded 46 combined tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.
64.
Rod Woodson was reunited with Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis who was a linebacker coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
65.
On September 4,1998, it was reported that Rod Woodson entered stage 1 of the league's substance abuse program after refusing to take a drug test the previous month.
66.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Jets'quarterback Glenn Foley, that was intended for wide receiver Dedric Ward, and returned it for a 60-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
67.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Raiders' quarterback Donald Hollas, that was intended for wide receiver Tim Brown, and returned it for an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
68.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1998 and recorded 88 combined tackles, six interceptions, and two touchdowns.
69.
Rod Woodson was named the starting free safety and was used to make checks in coverage and help stabilize a young secondary that included cornerbacks Duane Starks and strong safety Kim Herring.
70.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Browns' backup quarterback Ty Detmer and returned it for a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
71.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for wide receiver Kevin Dyson, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
72.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 1999 and recorded 66 combined tackles, seven interceptions, and two touchdowns.
73.
Rod Woodson became the veteran presence and a mentor to a young secondary.
74.
On December 14,2000, Rod Woodson was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking the 10th Pro Bowl selection of his career.
75.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 2000 and recorded 74 combined tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
76.
On March 1,2001, Rod Woodson was one of seven players released by the Baltimore Ravens.
77.
Rod Woodson became an unrestricted free agent after the Baltimore Ravens declined an option to retain him.
78.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning, that was intended for wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
79.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 2001 and recorded 74 combined tackles, three interceptions, forced a fumble, and scored a touchdown.
80.
Rod Woodson finished the game with ten combined tackles and a pass deflection against his former team.
81.
Head coach Bill Callahan named Rod Woodson the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Derrick Gibson.
82.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for tight end Frank Wycheck, and returned it for an 82-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
83.
Rod Woodson intercepted a pass by Broncos' quarterback Brian Griese, that was originally intended for running back Clinton Portis, and returned it for a 98-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
84.
Rod Woodson started in all 16 games in 2002 and recorded 82 combined tackles, a career-high eight interceptions, seven pass deflections, and a touchdown.
85.
On January 2,2002, it was announced that Rod Woodson was selected to play in the 2002 Pro Bowl.
86.
On November 26,2003, the Oakland Raiders placed Rod Woodson on injured reserve due to a chronic injury to his left knee.
87.
Rod Woodson finished the season with 51 combined tackles, two interceptions, and a pass deflection in ten games and ten starts.
88.
Rod Woodson is among the NFL's all-time leaders in games played as a defensive back.
89.
Rod Woodson holds the league record for interceptions returned for touchdown with 12, and is tied with 11 other players for the record for most fumble recoveries in a single game.
90.
Rod Woodson was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, a record for his position.
91.
Rod Woodson was the first player to earn trips to the Pro Bowl at cornerback, safety and kick returner.
92.
Rod Woodson was named 1993's NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.
93.
Rod Woodson finished second to Darrell Green in the 1988 NFL Fastest Man Contest.
94.
On January 31,2009, Rod Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
95.
Rod Woodson named his friend and business associate Tracy Foster as his presenter.
96.
Rod Woodson coached the defense at Valley Christian Senior High in Dublin, California along with former Raider John Parrella.
97.
Rod Woodson was the head coach of the women's Varsity Basketball team.
98.
Rod Woodson was not retained following the 2011 season.
99.
On June 12,2013, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that Rod Woodson would be serving as an intern coach.
100.
On February 9,2015, it was announced that Rod Woodson would be returning to the Raiders as an assistant defensive backs coach under head coach Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.
101.
On March 9,2017, following Robertson's firing earlier that offseason, Rod Woodson was promoted back to cornerbacks coach alongside new safeties coach Brent Vieselmeyer.
102.
Rod Woodson was fired following the 2017 season, after Jon Gruden was hired as head coach.
103.
Rod Woodson was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was the youngest of three siblings, with whom he had close relationships.
104.
Rod Woodson's father was a laborer from Tennessee and his mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne.
105.
Rod Woodson's parents married in 1960 and had three sons, Joe, Jamie, and Rod.
106.
Rod Woodson was raised in a two-story home in a predominantly black neighborhood.
107.
Rod Woodson's family experienced harassment through his youth due to their mixed-race.
108.
Rod Woodson funded the majority of the week that provided academic awards for camp goers and saw hundreds of kids throughout its existence.
109.
Rod Woodson used to split his time between NFL Network studios in Los Angeles, his home in Pleasanton, and a cottage in Coldwater, Michigan.
110.
Rod Woodson was part of the studio team for BBC Sport's NFL coverage in 2007, including Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLIII.
111.
Rod Woodson played defensive back and a variety of offensive skill positions and was named Parade and USA Today All-American, all-state his junior and senior seasons.
112.
The rear window of Wilson's vehicle was broken during the altercation, but Rod Woodson agreed to pay for damages.
113.
On June 13,1989, Rod Woodson was charged with misdemeanor battery on a police officer after an altercation outside of a bar in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
114.
On May 19,1992, Rod Woodson was arrested in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana for battery due to an altercation with his brother, Jamie Rod Woodson.
115.
On March 24,1993, Rod Woodson was found not guilty of battery by a jury.