First African-American Football Player “Ben Williams” Dies At 65

Ben Williams was the first African-American football player to participate in a football game for Ole Miss. It is awful to know that Ben Williams passed away on Monday in Jackson, Mississippi at the age of 65.

Ben Williams did enroll with James Reed at Ole Miss in 1971 which surely did make them the first two black football players to play at Ole Miss in the school history. Fans and friends were happy to know that Ben Williams, still holds the record at the Ole Miss school for career sacks and Single-Season sacks with 37 and 18 respectively.

Ole Miss did honor the skillful players, Ben Williams and James Reed by naming the entrance to the school’s practice facility and athletics center. The school honors it with the name “Williams-Reed Football Foyer”. At a specific time in his life, Ben Williams did mention that it was one of the greatest honors in his life.

Ole Miss School director Keith Carter did mention Ben Williams in a statement, saying, “Gentle Ben’s impact on our university, the SEC and college football as a whole is immeasurable,”. It seems like Ole Miss surely has the same respect for Ben Williams as he has for the school.

Carter continues, “Ben not only helped break the race barrier for our football program but was also the first African-American student to be elected by the student body for what is now known as Mr. Ole Miss. He was a great person, player, and ambassador for our university and will forever be beloved by Rebel Nation.”

Ben Williams did graduate from Ole Miss in 1976 and then he did go on for Buffalo Bills. After that, Ben Williams also is a part of the NFL to play for 10 long years. Not only the team members that Ben did play along with were having great respect for him but also the opponent team has the same respect. Friends, families, and fans were surely loving Ben Williams from the bottom of the heart.