Abraham Benjamin Woodson (February 15, 1934 – February 8, 2014) was an American football cornerback and kick returner who played nine seasons in the National Football League, mainly with the San Francisco 49ers. He also spent two years with the St. Louis Cardinals.[1]
Early years
Woodson played high school football for Austin High School in Chicago. Prior to joining the NFL, he played at the University of Illinois in football and track, setting the record for indoor 50 meters high hurdles twice and scoring three second half touchdowns against Michigan State during his time in Illinois.[2]
Career
Woodson was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1957 NFL draft after fulfilling a military commitment. The Niners were a year removed from being one game away from the 1957 Championship Game. The Niners never finished above third during Woodson's tenure, with a record never better than 7–5.
Woodson was traded in 1975 to the St. Louis Cardinals for running back John David Crow.[3] He would play two final seasons in St. Louis, with the team finishing with a record of 5–9 in 1965, but narrowly missing the post-season with a 8–5–1 in 1966.
Woodson in 1964.
At the time of his retirement after the 1966 NFL season, Woodson held career records for the most times leading the NFL in kickoff returns (3), most kickoff returns (193), and most yards gained from kickoff returns (5,538).[4] As of the end of the 2023 NFL season, Woodson's career average of 28.7 yards per return ranks fifth on the NFL's all-time list for those with a minimum of 75 returns.[5]
Woodson was also dangerous on punt returns, averaging 9 yards per return in his prime with the 49ers.
Post-NFL
After leaving football, he worked as a life insurance agent. He later lived in Las Vegas, where he served as a prison minister in connection with the Churches of Christ.
