December 2, 2016

Highlighted Year: Rod Woodson, 1999

Safety, Baltimore Ravens



Age: 34
13th season in pro football, 2nd with Ravens
College: Purdue
Height: 6’0”   Weight: 200

Prelude:
An outstanding athlete coming out of college (he was a champion hurdler as well as football star), Woodson was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft (10th overall). He held out and got a late start in the strike-interrupted ’87 season, and was used as a nickel back and kick returner, but swiftly developed into a star at cornerback and was team co-MVP in 1988. Woodson was a consensus first-team All-Pro as a kick returner and went to the Pro Bowl for the first time in ’89. With his outstanding speed, leaping ability, and body control, he became an annual Pro Bowl participant through 1994 and was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection at cornerback four times between 1990 and ‘94, including a 1993 season in which he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. It appeared his career might be over due to a severe knee injury suffered in the first game of the 1995 season but, remarkably, Woodson returned to play in the Super Bowl following that season and was again selected to the Pro Bowl in 1996. He moved on to the 49ers in ’97 and then to the Ravens in 1998, who shifted him to free safety for the ’99 season.

1999 Season Summary
Appeared in all 16 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Interceptions – 7 [1, tied with four others]
Most interceptions, game – 1 on seven occasions
Int. return yards – 195 [2]
Most int. return yards, game – 66 (on 1 int.) at Cleveland 11/7
Int. TDs – 2 [1, tied with six others]
Sacks – 0
Fumble recoveries – 2
Forced fumbles – 0
Tackles – 54
Assists – 12

Punt Returns
Returns – 2
Yards – 0
Average per return – 0.0
TDs – 0
Longest return – 7 yards

Scoring
TDs – 2
Points – 12

Awards & Honors:
Pro Bowl

Ravens went 8-8 to finish third in the AFC Central while leading the conference in fewest rushing yards allowed (1231).

Aftermath:
Woodson was again chosen to the Pro Bowl in each of the next two years with the Ravens, who also won the Super Bowl following the 2000 season largely due to their outstanding defense. With the Raiders in 2002, Woodson was a consensus first-team All-Pro for the sixth and last time, and also was named to the Pro Bowl for the last of 11 times at the age of 37. He finished up with Oakland in 2003, having intercepted 71 passes, the third most in NFL history, 12 of which were returned for touchdowns, a league record. Woodson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2009.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970