Eugene Wilson life and biography

ugene Wilson is an American football defensive back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League.

Selected in the second-round (36th overall) selection by the New England Patriots in the 2003 NFL Draft…signed by New England on July 21, 2003...signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 17, 2008…released by the Buccaneers on September 1, 2008…signed by the Houston Texans on September 3, 2008…re-signed by Texans on February 27, 2009...Placed on reserve/injured list on November 25, 2009.

HONORS: 2004 AFC Defensive Player of the Month (September); ESPN.com’s All-Rookie Team (2003); USA Today’s All-Joe Team (2003).

PRO:
Versatile player with the ability to play corner or safety...played in 82 career regular season games with 73 starts over six seasons...appeared in 10 playoff games with eight starts, including Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX...total of 333 tackles, 14 interceptions, 37 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 13 special teams tackles.

2009 (Houston 8/8): Inactive for the season opener vs. the New York Jets (9/13)... returned to the starting lineup and responded wtih his first interception of the season, which was returned 13 yards at Tenensse (9/20). Added one pass defensed and four tackles (three solo)...started at free safety vs. Jacksonville (9/27)...was inactive vs. Oakland (10/4) due to illness...was back in the starting lineup after being ill and made five solo tackles and forced a fumble in the red zone at Arizona (10/11)...had three tackles (two solo) at Cincinnati (10/18)...had three tackles (two solo),two passes defensed and an interception with 36 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter to clinch the victory at San Francisco (10/25)...made four solo tackles at Buffalo (11/1)...made four solo tackles at Indianapolis (11/8)...made five tackles (three solo) vs. Tennessee (11/23)...placed on reserve/injured list (11/25).

2008 (Houston 12/10): Played in 12 games with 10 starts…led all Texans defensive backs with 63 total tackles and tied for second on the team with two interceptions…also registered seven passes defensed…started at free safety and recorded one solo tackle and one pass defensed vs. Indianapolis (10/5)…played at free safety where he registered two solo tackles, one pass defensed and made his first interception of the season vs. Miami (10/12)…returned the interception 19 yards before fumbling while being tackled…played at safety where he registered five tackles and intercepted his second pass of the season vs. Cincinnati (10/26)…started and posted six total tackles and one pass defensed vs. Baltimore (11/9)…led the team with eight solo tackles on Monday Night Football vs. Jacksonville (12/1)…registered five solo tackles and one pass defensed at Green Bay (12/7)…led the team with a season-high nine tackles, including eight solos at Oakland (12/21)…finished second on the team with seven solo tackles and one pass defensed vs. Chicago (12/28).

2007 (New England 11/6): Saw action in 11 games with six starts...finished the season with 32 tackles, one interception, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery...started and tied for the team lead with seven tackles at the New York Jets (9/9)...started and led the secondary with five tackles vs. San Diego (9/16)...started and led the secondary with seven tackles vs. Cleveland (10/7)...started and recorded two tackles, one interception, which he returned five yards for a touchdown, one fumble recovery and one pass interception vs. the New York Jets (12/16)...inactive in AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. Jacksonville (1/11/08)...played a reserve role in AFC Championship Game vs. San Diego (1/20/08)...played a reserve role in Super Bowl XLII vs. the New York Giants (2/3/08).

2006 (New England 4/4): Started all four games before being placed on injured reserve (12/2)...season totals included 22 total tackles and two passes defensed.

2005 (New England 16/16): Started all 16 games and both playoff contests...led the secondary with 65 tackles and added one interception, one fumble recovery and finished third on the team with seven passes defensed...recorded eight special teams tackles...recorded three tackles and one forced fumble in AFC Wild Card game vs. Jacksonville (1/7/06).

2004 (New England 15/14): Started 14 of 15 regular season games…active for all three postseason contests as a member of the New England Patriots...started 11 games at safety and three at cornerback...named to ESPN.com’s All-Pro Team...recorded a career-high 67 tackles and led the team with four interceptions...tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles and finished third on the team with seven passes defensed...recorded three takeaways in the playoffs, with two interceptions and one fumble recovery...named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September after notching 12 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery...registered four tackles and two interceptions in the Patriots’ 41-27 AFC Championship victory at Pittsburgh (1/23/05)...recorded one tackle, one fumble recovery and added two special teams tackles in the Patriots’ 24-21 victory over Philadelphia in Super Bowl XXXIX (2/6/05).

2003 (New England 16/15): Started 15 of 16 regular season games and all three postseason games with the New England Patriots...part of a Patriots defense that led the NFL in opponents’ points per game (14.9), opponents’ passer rating (56.2), interceptions (29) and passing touchdowns surrendered (11)...named to ESPN.com’s All-Rookie Team and USA Today’s All-Joe Team after totaling 66 tackles, nine passes defensed and tied for the lead among all NFL rookies with four interceptions...also added one stop on special teams...tallied two passes defensed in the Patriots’ 33-29 Super Bowl XXXVIII victory over Carolina (2/1/04).

COLLEGE:
A three-year starter for the University of Illinois...recorded 176 tackles and one sack in 45 games...ranks sixth on the Illinois all-time interception list with 11, while his 60 pass deflections shattered the previous Illini record of 26...returned 93 punts (second all-time) for a school career-record 896 yards (9.6 avg.) and a pair of touchdowns, surpassing the old mark of 790 yards by Darryl Usher (1985-87)...as a senior was named All-Big Ten (second-team) and the Fighting Illini Special Teams Player of the Year...majored in speech communication.

PERSONAL:
Attended Merrillville (Ind.) High School...played cornerback, running back and wide receiver, earning three letters in football and four in basketball...four-year varsity starter in basketball, twice earning All-Conference accolades...led the team in scoring and assists as a senior...born Eugene W. Wilson II in Maywood, Illinois.

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