Where There's a Willie, There's a Way

Most mornings you'll still find him working hard in the gym. It's the off-season, but in the life of a professional athlete that's mostly a technicality.

Now at the age of 24, Willie Jefferson III still lives in a Houston, Texas home that he purchased shortly after a highly successful two-year stint at Stephen F. Austin culminated in his decision to sign with the Texans as a rookie free agent.

To play in the NFL for your favorite team is a delusion for most. For Willie, it was a reality. Growing up in Beaumont, Texas, the Houston Texans were the closest thing to a local team. After watching seven rounds pass in the 2013 NFL Draft without hearing his name, he knew exactly where he wanted to be.

He made the team and through seven weeks was active for all but one game."They took me under their wing there," Jefferson said. "It was my favorite team, and I didn't even feel like a rookie. Just a regular player for the Houston Texans."

But that's when Willie's dream came crashing down to earth.

“We’re letting you go,” were the crushing words of former Texans head coach Gary Kubiak. It was a dark and cloudy day in Houston, just twenty-four hours after a disappointing Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. For Jefferson, the day had just become a lot darker.

With "violation of team rules," listed as the reason for the decision to cut Jefferson along with teammates Sam Montgomery and Cierre Wood, the Texans suffered the loss of a contributor and promising player in a season already full of disappointment.

It was a lot more than that for Willie.

During his young years in Beaumont, Willie had quickly asserted himself as a gifted athlete. As a teenager, basketball and football established his star status around town. He'll be quick to point out, though, that his sports prowess extended to gymnastics and track as well.

"It was just me being an athlete that I enjoyed," Jefferson said about his years at Ozen High School.

By most standards, Willie had a successful freshman season. He totaled five receptions for 101 yards, caught a touchdown, and even started in the season finale against Texas Tech. As he continued to grow, Baylor converted him to Tight End prior to his sophomore campaign.Despite the struggles of Ozen football to win in a loaded district, college scouts simply couldn't ignore the 6'7" stature and rare talent on display. On February 4th, 2009, Willie committed to play football for Art Briles and the Baylor Bears.

That's when things took a turn for the worse.

A late night in Waco with fellow Baylor receiver Josh Gordon ended with the two of them falling asleep in the drive-through line at Taco Bell.  Police were called, the vehicle searched, and both men arrested for possession of marijuana.

Less than two weeks later, Willie was pulled over for a routine traffic stop in Temple, roughly 30 miles south of the Baylor campus, while driving a teammate's car. Once again, weed was discovered in the vehicle and Jefferson was booked. This time the team had to take action.

Forced to choose between sitting out a year or transferring, Willie elected to do the latter. In 2011, Jefferson became a Lumberjack.

With plans already in place to convert to Defensive End, Willie made the move official with SFA. In his first game in purple and white, Jefferson returned an interception for a touchdown and recorded his first sack. He had found a home on defense.

"I knew my background of being a troubled player was going to play a role in my draft status," he explained. "Nobody doesn't want to get drafted, but I was happy with my situation [signing with Houston]."The fast start in Nacogdoches never slowed down. Willie finished the season with 15 sacks, another pick-six, and was awarded the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Award. A year later and with another successful season under his belt, Willie was a bonafide NFL prospect.

After agreeing to a contract with the Texans, Willie entered training camp determined to prove his doubters wrong. At first, he did.

Justin Woodard called Jefferson a "rising star" during a training camp piece for KTRE and it appeared as if the Texans had landed an undrafted steal. After a strong showing in the preseason, Willie was included on the Texans 53-man roster on opening day.

Then came the evening in Kansas City.

Willie spent time with fellow rookies Wood and Montgomery in his room where they shared a Black & Mild cigar before walking downstairs for a team meal.

As Willie recalls, a team employee noticed bloodshot eyes when they stepped off the elevator. After inspecting the hotel room and seeing smoke, he reported the three players to officials. Forty-eight hours later, Willie Jefferson was cut.

"I just wish I could've had an opportunity to prove that the allegations weren't true [before being released]. In that aspect, I think things could've been handled better," he said.Despite what may have actually taken place in the hotel room, it only took days for anonymous sources to report that the three were cut as a result of marijuana use. For someone with a history like Jefferson at Baylor, benefit of the doubt simply wouldn't be awarded.

Willie submitted to a drug test after his release. The results came back clean, but the damage was already done. He was once again a free agent.

But not done with football.

Jefferson didn't play again during the 2013 season, but after working out for a couple teams in January, Willie signed a reserve-future contract with the Buffalo Bills.

Unfortunately for Jefferson, the Bills hired new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz just weeks later. After determining that he was not a fit for Schwartz's scheme, Willie was released in March before ever suiting up in Buffalo.

Eager to stay sharp and get back on the field, Willie agreed to a two-year contract with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League the following week.

Today, he's in between those two years. He is committed to helping his team win north of the border, certainly. But Willie Jefferson isn't done with the NFL.

"I'm happy, but I always want bigger and better things," he told me. "If I have to work for a few more years to get there, so be it."

For now, it's all about staying prepared and continuing to fight for his dream. Fully focused on his career, Willie stays single and without any children. In the meantime, it's his parents, twin brother, and three nieces that are the center of his world.

He wants to succeed the right way.

This coming fall will be Willie's final season in Edmonton. The team was aware that his commitment was temporary; one to help him better himself as a man and a football player, and prepare to continue his journey in the United States."If I can play football for the next ten years, I just want to look back and know I took care of my family, got my education, and lived my life the right way," he said.

"I'm doing well now," he tells me. "I'm not worried about [what happened in Houston]. I'm over it."

Jefferson pauses momentarily as if to collect his thoughts. As he starts again, I hear the confidence of a man who knows exactly where he's going in life.

"I'll be back in the NFL," he says.

The dream is still alive.