Chandler Williams
A speedy wide receiver whose professional journey spanned multiple leagues and was tragically cut short just as he found a new home in the CFL.
1985–2013 (age 28)·American gridiron football player·Birthday: August 9·Millennials
Biography
Chandler Williams carved out his path on the football field at Florida International University, where his quickness and reliable hands made him a standout. The Minnesota Vikings saw potential, selecting him in the seventh round of the 2007 draft. His NFL career, however, was a nomadic one, consisting of brief stints on practice squads and active rosters for several teams, including the Vikings, Dolphins, and Falcons, without recording a regular-season catch. Undeterred, Williams took his talents north to the Canadian Football League, where he found a more consistent role. He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and later the Edmonton Eskimos, showcasing the slot receiver skills that had defined his college play. His life and burgeoning CFL career ended abruptly and tragically in the summer of 2013, leaving behind the memory of a determined athlete who persevered to play the game he loved.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Chandler was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chandler Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Chandler's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2013Died at 28
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round (233rd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.
- Set a Florida International University record with 1,091 receiving yards during his senior season in 2006.
- Played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Edmonton Eskimos.
Did You Know?
He was a standout track athlete in high school, winning state titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.
His final CFL game was for the Edmonton Eskimos on July 11, 2013, just weeks before his passing.
He caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in a preseason game for the Atlanta Falcons in 2009.
“I kept my bags packed, ready for the next team to call.”
