Willie Ponder

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Willie Ponder
Date of birth:	February 14, 1980 (1980-02-14) (age 28)
Place of birth:	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Career information
Position(s):	Wide receiver Kick returner
College:	Southeast Missouri State
NFL Draft:	2003 / Round: 6 / Pick: 199
Organizations
As player:
2003-2005 2006 2006-present	New York Giants Seattle Seahawks St. Louis Rams
Stats at CBS.com

Willie Columbus Ponder (born February 14, 1980 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is an American football wide receiver and kick returner currently playing for the St. Louis Rams in the National Football League.

[edit] Pro career

He was originally a 6th round (199th pick overall) draft choice from Southeast Missouri State University by the New York Giants in the 2003 NFL Draft. He has contributed as kickoff returner in 2004, when he led the NFL with a kickoff return average of 26.9 yards, the first Giant to lead the NFL in average kickoff return yardage since Clarence Childs in 1964 (David Meggett led the NFC in 1990). For New York, he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, the first coming against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2004 and second coming in the 2005 season opener against Arizona. Ponder was benched ten games into the 2005 season despite a kickoff return average of 25.9 yards, in favor of Chad Morton. This led to a decline in the success of Giants special teams. He has lost two fumbles in his career to date, and scored two touchdowns on kick returns as well. He was released on September 2, 2006. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks on September 5, 2006 and released on October 24, 2006. He was on the St. Louis Rams for the 2006 season but was not signed for 2007.

v • d • e New York Giants 2003 NFL Draft selections William Joseph • Osi Umenyiora • Visanthe Shiancoe • Roderick Babers • David Diehl • Willie Ponder • Frank Walker • David Tyree • Charles Drake • Wayne Lucier • Kevin Walter