Will Heller
Encyclopedia
Will Sanders Heller is an American football
tight end
for the Detroit Lions
of the National Football League
. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 2003. He played college football
at Georgia Tech
.
Heller has also played for the Miami Dolphins
and Seattle Seahawks
.
, and was a student and letterman in both football and basketball. In football, he played tight end, wide receiver, and defensive back, and was a 2nd Team All-Northside selection.
, where he played Tight End
under Coach George O'Leary
. Heller arrived at Georgia Tech as a walk-on candidate for tight end after turning down his only football scholarship offer to Division I-AA Furman
.
. At the end of the 2007 season he had 13 receptions for 82 receiving yards and 3 Touchdowns. He has received the NFL's coveted "Golden Calves" Award a record seven times.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in 2003. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
.
Heller has also played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
.
Early years
Heller attended Marist High School in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and was a student and letterman in both football and basketball. In football, he played tight end, wide receiver, and defensive back, and was a 2nd Team All-Northside selection.
College career
Heller attended Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, where he played Tight End
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
under Coach George O'Leary
George O'Leary
George Joseph O'Leary is the head football coach of the UCF Knights football team that represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida; he previously coached the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 1994 to 2001, and served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota...
. Heller arrived at Georgia Tech as a walk-on candidate for tight end after turning down his only football scholarship offer to Division I-AA Furman
Furman
Furman may refer to the following:Places:* Furman University* Furman, Alabama, an unincorporated community in Wilcox County, United States* Furman, South Carolina, a town in Hampton County, United States* Furman, PolandPeople:...
.
Seattle Seahawks
In 2007 he had two touchdown receptions for the Seahawks against the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. At the end of the 2007 season he had 13 receptions for 82 receiving yards and 3 Touchdowns. He has received the NFL's coveted "Golden Calves" Award a record seven times.