The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night and on Friday night there will be a show on the NFL Network that fans of the team might not want to miss as well.
The Emmy-nominated and highly acclaimed NFL Films-produced series, ‘A Football Life,’ continues Friday, September 23 at 9:00 PM ET and PT on NFL Network with a profile of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back Rod Woodson. The one-hour show will feature sit-down interviews with Woodson, former players such as Ray Lewis, Michael Irvin and Carnell Lake, former coaches Bill Cowher, Dick LeBeau and Tony Dungy, and others.
Among the topics discussed in Rod Woodson: A Football Life include:
- Growing up in Fort Wayne, IN where he dealt with racism and violence towards his family
- His outstanding athletic career at Purdue where he became one of the best football players and track stars in the nation
- Being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and earning Pro Bowl berths in three different positions in his career, as a returner, a cornerback, and a safety
- Helping the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV behind one of the best defenses in league history
- Being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility
Woodson, who was an inductee of the Class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 8, 2009, was originally selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft out of Purdue with the tenth overall selection.
In his ten seasons with the Steelers, Woodson played in 134 total regular season games, and he registered 38 interceptions with five being returned for touchdowns. He also forced 16 fumbles as a member of the Steelers and returned a fumble for a touchdown. He was credited with 671 total tackles during that span of 10 seasons in Pittsburgh and 13.5 sacks.
Woodson also served as a returner in Pittsburgh and returned two punts for touchdowns and two more on kickoffs. He totaled 8,104 return yards in those 10 seasons.
Woodson went on to play 17 seasons in the NFL as a member of the Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers. He ended his NFL career 71 interceptions of which 12 he returned for touchdowns.
Woodson was voted the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 and he won one Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000. He was voted First-Team All-Pro six times during his NFL career and Second-Team All-Pro three times. He was an eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, 1990s All-Decade Team and the Steelers All-Time Team. He is a Steelers Hall of Honor member now as well.
After his NFL playing career ended, Woodson has coached for numerous NFL teams. He is currently the head coach of the XFL’s Las Vegas franchise.
