Sherman Cedric Williams

"Born in Alabama, Sherman Cedric Williams is an All-American football player. Williams experienced his first championship while attending Mattie T. Blount High School in Prichard, Alabama where he left his mark as the school’s powerhouse running back. He was the first running back in the state of Alabama to rush for over 3,000 yards in one season. Sherman’s career continued at the University of Alabama, playing for the renowned Crimson Tide. There he developed his signature touchdown celebration, the ‘Sherman Shake,’ and led the Crimson Tide in rushing yards and broken carries. He also earned All SEC and second team All American honors. He was a member of the University's 1992 Championship team. In 1995, the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys drafted Sherman in the second round as a number one pick. During his rookie season, the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl XXX championship, again making Sherman a champion. Unfortunately, a series of poor decisions resulted in Sherman’s incarceration for fifteen years. Since his release, he focuses on improving the lives of others by sharing his story and acting as a role model and mentor for young people and student athletes. Sherman is most proud of returning to the University of Alabama to complete his college education. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Community Leadership in Spring 2018. Sherman is the author of the Crimson Cowboy book series, where he chronicles his life from early years to being recruited by the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide, drafted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and his criminal trial. Brutally honest, the series recounts wrong decisions. Drug sales. Prison. Through his book the Crimson Cowboy and his non-profit organization, The Palmer Williams Group (www.palmerwilliamsgroup.org), Sherman partners with former NFL player and University of Alabama teammate, David Palmer, to provide youth development programs to assist and guide disadvantaged youth to overcome interpersonal obstacles, embrace family values, encourage education, and avoid life’s pitfalls. By returning to the streets where he made poor choices, Sherman now makes a difference to youth growing up in similar circumstances by sharing how to make good choices and decisions for a successful life. Sherman resides in Alabama. "