Doug Williams was born in Zachary, Louisiana, in 1955. He played quarterback at Grambling State University from 1974 through 1977 under coach Eddie Robinson. The College Football Hall of Fame records his national passing achievements and fourth-place finish in the 1977 Heisman Trophy voting. Tampa Bay selected him seventeenth overall in the 1978 NFL draft, beginning a professional career that later included Washington.
At Grambling, Williams became the starter during his freshman season. In 1977, he led the country in touchdown passes and passing yards and received Associated Press All-America recognition. His college record also included a victory over Temple in a game played in Tokyo. The College Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 2001.
His best-known game came in Super Bowl XXII in January 1988. Washington defeated Denver 42-10, and Williams threw four touchdown passes and passed for 340 yards. He became the first African American quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl and received the game's Most Valuable Player award.
Williams subsequently returned to Grambling as head coach, succeeding Robinson in 1998. His coaching service included a second period from 2011 to 2013, bringing him back to the institution where he had developed as a player. He also worked in professional scouting and personnel roles. Washington's current official biography identifies him as senior adviser to the general manager.
His collaborative work includes the Shack Harris & Doug Williams Foundation, formed in 2005 with fellow quarterback James "Shack" Harris. In April 2022, Washington announced the Doug Williams Diversity Coaching Fellowship. The program was designed to give a coach from a historically Black college or university experience working with the team's offense, with a selection process involving Williams and other staff.
