William Green (American football)

William Green (born December 17, 1979) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons during the early 2000s. He played college football for Boston College, and received All-American honors. The Cleveland Browns chose him in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and he played for the Browns for his entire pro career.

Early years
Green was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His early life was fraught with problems. His father was a heroin addict who died of AIDS when William was 12. His mother died of the disease a year later.

Green attended Holy Spirit High School in Absecon, New Jersey, where he played for the Holy Spirit Spartans high school football team and received multiple high school All-American honors.

College career
Green received an athletic scholarship to attend Boston College, and played for the Boston College Eagles football team from 1998 to 2001. In two years as a starting running back, he compiled over 2,700 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-Big East Conference selection in 2000 and 2001, was honored as the Big East Offensive Player of the Year, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 2001.

Cleveland Browns
In the 2002 NFL Draft, Green was a top-rated player. However, two college suspensions for marijuana use hurt his stock on draft day.

Cleveland selected him as 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. As a rookie in 2002, Green appeared in all 16 regular season games and started ten of them, gaining 887 yards and scoring six touchdowns. His 2003 season, however, was fraught with turmoil. After a good start with 559 yards, Green was arrested for drunk driving and marijuana possession. Green was also notoriously seen wearing one shoe and one sock during the arrest The arrest led to a four-game suspension under the league's substance abuse policy. While under suspension, Green's fiancee, Asia Gray, stabbed him in the back during a domestic dispute. The league extended his suspension through the end of the 2003 season "for treatment purposes."

Green tried to get back on track in 2004, but gained only 585 yards. That year he was also ejected prior to a game with the Pittsburgh Steelers for fighting with linebacker Joey Porter. Around this time, he had disclosed that he was having a child with a woman other than his wife.

His final season in Cleveland was an injury-plagued 2005 campaign where he appeared in eight games and gained only 78 yards. The Browns placed him on injured reserve at the end of training camp in 2006 and reached an injury settlement with Green allowing them to release him.

Comeback attempt
In March 2008, it was reported that Green would attempt to play in the NFL again after two seasons out of the league. He worked out at his alma mater Boston College's Pro Day on March 19, showing up in "great shape," bench-pressing 225 pounds 25 times and posting a 42-inch vertical leap, but also ran a 4.85 forty yard dash. As of 2011, he has not returned to the league.