Stanley Wilson Jr. Explained

Stanley Wilson
Position:Cornerback
Number:33, 31
Birth Date:5 November 1982
Birth Place:Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Death Place:Norwalk, California, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lbs:189
College:Stanford
Draftyear:2005
Draftround:3
Draftpick:72
Pastteams:
Statlabel1:Total tackles
Statvalue1:89
Statlabel2:Forced fumbles
Statvalue2:1
Statlabel3:Pass deflections
Statvalue3:8
Pfr:WilsSt20

Stanley Tobias Wilson Jr.[1] (November 5, 1982 – February 1, 2023) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal.

Early life

The son of former Cincinnati Bengals running back Stanley Wilson Sr.,[2] Stanley Jr. grew up in Carson, California, with his grandparents and attended Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance.[3] [4]

College career

Recruited by Tyrone Willingham, Wilson enrolled at Stanford University in 2000. After redshirting his true freshman season, Wilson played four seasons on the Stanford Cardinal football team from 2001 to 2004, the last three under coach Walt Harris.[4] Wilson became a regular starter as a sophomore in 2002, with 32 tackles (27 solo) and two interceptions. In 2003, Wilson had 27 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception. As a senior in 2004, Wilson recorded career highs with 54 tackles (41 solo and 2.5 for loss) and five passes defended, in addition to one interception returned for 51 yards, and earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors.[5]

Professional career

In the 2005 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions picked Wilson in the third round (72nd overall).[6] Wilson's NFL career lasted from 2005 to 2007, all with the Lions. In 32 games (nine starts) in the NFL, Wilson had 86 tackles (63 solo), eight passes deflected, and one forced fumble.[7] On November 28, 2007, Wilson was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury.[5]

The Lions re-signed Wilson to a one-year deal on April 11, 2008.[8] However, Wilson tore his Achilles tendon during an exhibition game against the New York Giants on August 7, an injury later revealed to be career-ending.[9]

Personal life

Legal issues

After his playing career concluded, Wilson started to show signs of Biopolar disorder, which manifested in manic episodes such as stripping naked in public; Wilson later told his mother about being molested as a child by a babysitter. Wilson had an episode in 2014 that saw a couple help him into a New York City hotel room and call his mother. On June 22, 2016, Wilson was shot by an elderly homeowner in Portland, Oregon, after Wilson attempted to break into the man's home while naked. He was hospitalized but recovered from his injuries and was charged with attempted burglary.[10] In November 2016, Wilson tested positive for methamphetamines.[11] He was arrested again in Portland on January 10, 2017, while again nude; the arresting officer noted he appeared to be on drugs when he was caught roaming naked around another neighborhood.[12]

On February 13, 2017, Wilson was sentenced to 10 days in jail with three years of probation for the June incident where he was shot; the judge also ordered him to undergo drug treatment, pay restitution for damages caused to homes, and write apology letters.[11] On February 18, 2017, Wilson was arrested naked a third time allegedly attempting to burglarize a home.[13]

Death

In the last five months of his life, Wilson had been in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles after he had broken in a home in Hollywood Hills during a psychotic break. On February 1, 2023, he was transported by sheriff’s deputies to Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk for psychiatric treatment. He died at the hospital that day. He was 40.[14] Two separate autopsies stated that he died of a pulmonary thromboembolism, but accounts of whether he died at the facility or the hospital differed. These inconsistencies led the Wilson family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Department, the Department of State Hospitals and L.A. County in September 2023.[15]

He is one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repeated hits to the head.[16] [17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sooner fullback still has flashbacks of life as halfback. Hersom, Bob. The Oklahoman. November 11, 1982. February 19, 2017.
  2. News: Gosselin, Rick. Stanley Wilson the son is ready to rise . . April 6, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080924220239/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/nfl/gosselin/online/stories/032905dnspodraftwilson.186d0d919.html. September 24, 2008.
  3. Web site: The busted play of Stanley Wilson. Long Beach Press-Telegram. March 19, 1999. Witz, Billy. A1. March 8, 2017.
  4. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20050404213440/http://gostanford.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wilson_stanley00.html. April 4, 2005. Stanley Wilson. Stanford Athletics. March 8, 2017.
  5. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20080221181030/http://www.detroitlions.com/bio.cfm?bio_id=273&season=9. February 21, 2008. Stanley Wilson. Detroit Lions. March 8, 2017.
  6. Web site: 2005 NFL Draft Listing . 2023-05-07 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  7. Web site: Stanley Wilson. NFL. March 8, 2017.
  8. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20090101135418/http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=470161. January 1, 2009. Lions Re-Sign Restricted Free Agent CB Stanley Wilson and Free Agent P/K Paul Ernster. Detroit Lions. April 11, 2008. March 8, 2017.
  9. Web site: Lions CB Wilson tears Achilles tendon, will miss rest of season. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312071251/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d809e3609/article/lions-cb-wilson-tears-achilles-tendon-will-miss-rest-of-season. dead. March 12, 2017. Associated Press. NFL.com. August 9, 2008. March 8, 2017.
  10. Web site: Naked intruder shot by homeowner turns out to be ex-NFL player, police say. OregonLive.com. November 15, 2017.
  11. Web site: Ex-NFL player Stanley Wilson II gets 10 days in jail for naked attempted burglary. Aimee. Green. February 14, 2017. OregonLive.com. November 15, 2017.
  12. News: Bailey, Jr.. Everton. Naked ex-NFL player shot during alleged burglary arrested after another nude run-in with cops. January 17, 2017. OregonLive.com. January 17, 2017.
  13. Web site: Ex-NFL player arrested in Woodburn after 3rd alleged naked run-in with police. Anna. Marum. February 19, 2017. OregonLive.com. November 15, 2017.
  14. News: Ex-NFL DB Stanley Wilson Jr. Dead At 40... After Collapsing At Mental Hospital . 15 February 2023 . TMZ . 15 February 2023.
  15. Web site: 2024-02-06 . An ex-NFL player died in custody. His grieving family demands to know what happened . 2024-02-26 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  16. News: The driving force behind Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) . Concussion Legacy Foundation . July 2, 2023 . July 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230702123543/https://concussionfoundation.org/cte-resources/subconcussive-impacts . dead .
  17. News: Ken Belson and Benjamin Mueller . Collective Force of Head Hits, Not Just the Number of Them, Increases Odds of C.T.E. The largest study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy to date found that the cumulative force of head hits absorbed by players in their careers is the best predictor of future brain disease. . . June 20, 2023 . July 2, 2023 .