Thomas: 'A Football Life' to feature Aeneas Williams
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Thomas: 'A Football Life' to feature Aeneas Williams
By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch
On Monday, Hall of Fame defensive back Aeneas Williams drove through Ferguson with an SUV full of cameras. He did a four-hour interview at a house rented in Wildwood by the NFL Network.
And the cameras were in Williams’ home, too, interviewing his wife Tracy and their four children.
It’s all because Williams will be the subject of “A Football Life,” the NFL Network’s documentary series on the greats of the game.
“They’ve been interviewing all around the country, all different people for it,” Williams said. “And then sometime in July, I’ll meet ’em down in New Orleans and they’ll interview the people in Baton Rouge and my parents and little league coaches.”
Williams, 49, grew up in New Orleans, played at Southern University in Baton Rouge, and then starred for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams before retiring after the 2004 season. The NFL Network crew already has interviewed about 15 people for the episode, according to director Chris Weaver, who was in town earlier this week for the shoot.
Cardinals President Michael Bidwill, former Cardinals and Rams coach Dave McGinnis, and former Rams teammate Marshall Faulk are among those who already have been interviewed.
“He’s got a great story and he’s a great football player,” Weaver said. “And that’s exactly what we set out to do with every NFL Films (project) — tell a good story about football, and he’s got one.”
Williams and his family settled in St. Louis after his retirement as a player, and the former cornerback and safety stays busy.
“I like to call it productive,” Williams says.
Among his “productive” pastimes is serving as pastor of the Spirit Church in Ferguson and working as senior adviser to the NFL’s vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent.
The church is in the process of moving to a new location in the Northwest Plaza area, pending a permit from the municipality of Bridgeton.
“That area’s been totally redeveloped, and we purchased the last stand-alone building, which is a 46,000 square foot building,” Williams said.
With the help of Cass Commercial Bank on the project, Williams said, “I just kicked off my capital campaign and we’ll start construction on it probably within the next week or so.”
More precisely, the project involves adding on to the existing building, which once housed a Toys “R” Us. That’s right, Williams will be spreading the word in an old toy store.
“How ’bout that?” Williams replied.
As he puts it, Toys “R” Us will become Prayers “R” Us.
Through the Spirit Church, Williams is involved in the Adopt-a-Block program at the Canfield Green Apartments in Ferguson. Every week, they go door-to-door “and find out what their needs are,” Williams said. “Food may be needed.”
This summer, Williams said, there are plans to start a reading program at elementary schools in the area.
Part of this week’s work for “A Football Life” tapped into Williams’ involvement in Ferguson and the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting.
“We drove around, and we went to a couple specific spots that were pertinent to the Michael Brown shooting and the protests,” Weaver said. “We went to the Ferguson Market where the now-famous, or infamous, surveillance footage of Michael Brown was captured. We went to what used to be the QuikTrip and was turned into ground zero for the protest.”
The crew also went to the spot where Brown was killed.
One of the highlights of the crew’s visit was an interview with the Williamses’ four children on the couch at home.
Oldest daughter Saenea (which is Aeneas spelled backwards) will be entering her junior year at Hampton University, where she runs track.
Daughter Tirzah graduates Monday from Incarnate Word Academy and will attend Tennessee State.
Son Lazarus is completing his freshman year at St. Louis University High, where he plays football and runs track.
The baby of the family, Cheyenne, is a sixth-grader into field hockey.
“They’re very impressive kids, I’ll tell you that,” Weaver said. “I’ve got kids of my own and I told him I hope my kids turn out half as strong and smart as his are.”
Although it’s yet to be determined if it will make the cut for the show, Tirzah did some singing during the interview session.
“Incredibly well, I would add,” Weaver said. “She sang a song from ‘The Color Purple.’ “
Williams said the NFL Network reached out to him in early April about having him be the subject of “A Football Life” and started on the episode not long after. Under the guidance of producer James Weiner, it is scheduled to air sometime this fall.
The series, which began in 2011 with a two-episode special on New England coach Bill Belichick, has had episodes on Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Dick Vermeil in recent years.
Williams played for the Rams from 2001-04, earning two of his eight Pro Bowl berths here, and starring in the team’s playoff run to Super Bowl XXXVI against the Patriots.
Thomas: 'A Football Life' to feature Aeneas Williams
By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch
On Monday, Hall of Fame defensive back Aeneas Williams drove through Ferguson with an SUV full of cameras. He did a four-hour interview at a house rented in Wildwood by the NFL Network.
And the cameras were in Williams’ home, too, interviewing his wife Tracy and their four children.
It’s all because Williams will be the subject of “A Football Life,” the NFL Network’s documentary series on the greats of the game.
“They’ve been interviewing all around the country, all different people for it,” Williams said. “And then sometime in July, I’ll meet ’em down in New Orleans and they’ll interview the people in Baton Rouge and my parents and little league coaches.”
Williams, 49, grew up in New Orleans, played at Southern University in Baton Rouge, and then starred for the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams before retiring after the 2004 season. The NFL Network crew already has interviewed about 15 people for the episode, according to director Chris Weaver, who was in town earlier this week for the shoot.
Cardinals President Michael Bidwill, former Cardinals and Rams coach Dave McGinnis, and former Rams teammate Marshall Faulk are among those who already have been interviewed.
“He’s got a great story and he’s a great football player,” Weaver said. “And that’s exactly what we set out to do with every NFL Films (project) — tell a good story about football, and he’s got one.”
Williams and his family settled in St. Louis after his retirement as a player, and the former cornerback and safety stays busy.
“I like to call it productive,” Williams says.
Among his “productive” pastimes is serving as pastor of the Spirit Church in Ferguson and working as senior adviser to the NFL’s vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent.
The church is in the process of moving to a new location in the Northwest Plaza area, pending a permit from the municipality of Bridgeton.
“That area’s been totally redeveloped, and we purchased the last stand-alone building, which is a 46,000 square foot building,” Williams said.
With the help of Cass Commercial Bank on the project, Williams said, “I just kicked off my capital campaign and we’ll start construction on it probably within the next week or so.”
More precisely, the project involves adding on to the existing building, which once housed a Toys “R” Us. That’s right, Williams will be spreading the word in an old toy store.
“How ’bout that?” Williams replied.
As he puts it, Toys “R” Us will become Prayers “R” Us.
Through the Spirit Church, Williams is involved in the Adopt-a-Block program at the Canfield Green Apartments in Ferguson. Every week, they go door-to-door “and find out what their needs are,” Williams said. “Food may be needed.”
This summer, Williams said, there are plans to start a reading program at elementary schools in the area.
Part of this week’s work for “A Football Life” tapped into Williams’ involvement in Ferguson and the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting.
“We drove around, and we went to a couple specific spots that were pertinent to the Michael Brown shooting and the protests,” Weaver said. “We went to the Ferguson Market where the now-famous, or infamous, surveillance footage of Michael Brown was captured. We went to what used to be the QuikTrip and was turned into ground zero for the protest.”
The crew also went to the spot where Brown was killed.
One of the highlights of the crew’s visit was an interview with the Williamses’ four children on the couch at home.
Oldest daughter Saenea (which is Aeneas spelled backwards) will be entering her junior year at Hampton University, where she runs track.
Daughter Tirzah graduates Monday from Incarnate Word Academy and will attend Tennessee State.
Son Lazarus is completing his freshman year at St. Louis University High, where he plays football and runs track.
The baby of the family, Cheyenne, is a sixth-grader into field hockey.
“They’re very impressive kids, I’ll tell you that,” Weaver said. “I’ve got kids of my own and I told him I hope my kids turn out half as strong and smart as his are.”
Although it’s yet to be determined if it will make the cut for the show, Tirzah did some singing during the interview session.
“Incredibly well, I would add,” Weaver said. “She sang a song from ‘The Color Purple.’ “
Williams said the NFL Network reached out to him in early April about having him be the subject of “A Football Life” and started on the episode not long after. Under the guidance of producer James Weiner, it is scheduled to air sometime this fall.
The series, which began in 2011 with a two-episode special on New England coach Bill Belichick, has had episodes on Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Dick Vermeil in recent years.
Williams played for the Rams from 2001-04, earning two of his eight Pro Bowl berths here, and starring in the team’s playoff run to Super Bowl XXXVI against the Patriots.