Willie Ponder

NFL player


Color=#132456
fontcolor=#B8860B
DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1980|2|14
Birthplace=flagicon|USA Tulsa, Oklahoma
College=Southeast Missouri State
Position=Wide receiver
Kick returner
DraftedYear=2003
DraftedRound=6
DraftedPick=199
years=2003-2005
2006
2006-"present"
teams=New York Giants
Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams
Stats=y
DatabaseFootball=PONDEWIL01
CBS=396064

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.

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.