George Eugene Wilson, Jr. (born March 14, 1981) is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Arkansas. Wilson was a longtime player for the Buffalo Bills and also played for the Tennessee Titans.
Early years
Wilson played high school football for Paducah Tilghman High School in Paducah, Kentucky. He twice was named all-state and was honorable mention All-America as a senior. He was also named all state in basketball, and lettered in baseball and track as well. During his high school football career, Wilson had 81 catches for 1,723 yards and 24 touchdowns. Wilson played in the Kentucky-Tennessee All-Star Game.
College career
Wilson played at the University of Arkansas. He was a starter for three years at Arkansas and led the team in receptions for two of those years. He had at least one reception in 38 of his final 40 games. For his career, he played in 44 games, catching 144 passes for 2,151 yards (14.9 average) and 16 touchdowns. Wilson left Arkansas with the second most receptions in a career there (behind Anthony Eubanks) and he had the third highest total for receiving touchdowns and receiving yardage there (behind Eubanks and Anthony Lucas). He was only the 16th player in school history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a career. In 2002, he led the team with 49 catches for 626 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns, starting 11 of 14 games. In 2003, Wilson had four 100-yard receiving games, including a career-high 172 yards on nine receptions and a touchdown in the 71-63 seven overtime win at Kentucky. Over Wilson's four seasons at Arkansas, he helped the Hogs go to four consecutive bowl games, winning the 2003 Independence Bowl as a senior on a team that finished 9-4, as well as win a share of the 2002 SEC West Division Championship during his junior season on a team that finished 9-5.
Professional career
Detroit Lions
Wilson was signed by the Detroit Lions on April 30, 2004 as an undrafted free agent.
Buffalo Bills
Wilson was signed by the Buffalo Bills to their practice squad on October 18, 2004, and played his first regular season game on September 11, 2005 against the Houston Texans. Up to the 2007 season, he had played in only three games in his NFL career and never recorded a reception. For the 2007 season, Wilson made the transition to strong safety, a position at which he had never played in an organized game.
On October 8, 2007 on Monday Night Football, he intercepted Tony Romo and returned it for a touchdown in his first NFL start. His 2007-2008 season ended with a rib injury on December 10, 2007 in a game against the Miami Dolphins in which he returned a fumble for a touchdown.
In the 2008 season, Wilson played in all 16 games for the first time in his career. He shared a sack of New England Patriots Matt Cassel with Marcus Stroud at New England on November 9, 2008. The play marked his first career participation in a sack. He also recovered the fumble forced by Stroud on the same play, marking his second career fumble recovery. Wilson had a season-high four tackles, including one for a loss of five yards, a sack, and recovered a fumble at KC. He finished third on team with 15 special teams tackles. He was voted special teams captain prior to the season, and has been voted consecutively as team captain for seasons since.
Wilson is the first Buffalo Bills defensive back to post consecutive multi-sack seasons since Lawyer Milloy (2003–04) and only the second Bills defensive back to accomplish this feat.
On February 11, 2013, Wilson was released from the Bills, along with linebacker Nick Barnett.
Tennessee Titans
On February 22, 2013, Wilson was signed by the Tennessee Titans. He was later waived by the Titans.
Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame
Wilson was a part of the 2022 Induction to the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is the 20th anniversary of their Hall of Fame Inductions.
Career statistics
Philanthropy
Wilson has been an active philanthropist both within his community and on a national scale to improve education for today's youth. In 2008, Wilson received the President's Volunteer Service Award, the highest service honor awarded by the White House. The following year, he founded his own foundation, the George Wilson S.A.F.E.T.Y. Foundation that aims to educate today's youth no matter what their background. Wilson has received the Buffalo Bills Walter Payton Man of the Year Award twice, once in 2009 and then again in 2011.