Will Demps
A hard-hitting safety who defied the odds, going from an undrafted college player to a starting role for the Baltimore Ravens' formidable defense.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American football player·Birthday: November 7·Generation X
Biography
Will Demps's NFL story is one of pure grit. Coming out of San Diego State University in 2002, no team called his name on draft day. The Baltimore Ravens, known for valuing toughness, signed him as an undrafted free agent. Demps seized the opportunity, making the roster and, by his second season, winning the starting strong safety job. He brought a punishing style to a defense already famous for its physicality, recording interceptions and delivering memorable hits. A serious knee injury in 2004 slowed his momentum, but he fought back to start again and later played for the New York Giants and Houston Texans. Demps's career stands as a blueprint for perseverance, proving that a relentless work ethic can carve out a substantial place in the league's most demanding defensive units.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Will was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Will Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Will's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Started 47 games at safety for the Baltimore Ravens from 2002 to 2005 after joining the team as an undrafted free agent.
- Recorded 11 interceptions over his six-season NFL career with three different teams.
- Was part of the 2003 Ravens defense that set a modern NFL record for fewest rushing yards allowed in a 16-game season.
Did You Know?
He earned the nickname 'The Hitman' during his time with the Ravens for his aggressive playing style.
Demps majored in criminal justice at San Diego State University.
After football, he worked as a sports radio host in Baltimore.
“They didn't draft me, so I had to take a job from someone they did.”
