William Thomas Romanowski (born April 2, 1966 in Vernon, Connecticut) is a former American football player. A linebacker, he graduated from Rockville High School in 1984, Boston College in 1988, and then went on to a 16-year career in the NFL, playing for the San Francisco 49ers(1988-1993), Philadelphia Eagles(1994-1995), Denver Broncos(1996-2001), and Oakland Raiders(2002-2003). He played 243 consecutive games, an NFL record among Linebackers, won 4 Super Bowl Championships, and is the only linebacker to start 5 Super Bowl Games(Super Bowl XXIII, Super Bowl XXIV, Super Bowl XXXII, Super Bowl XXXIII and Super Bowl XXXVII). In his rookie season, Romanowski made a big impact for the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIII, recording a third quarter interception that set up a San Francisco field goal.

Romanowski finished his 16 NFL seasons with 18 interceptions, which he returned for 98 yards and 1 touchdown. He also recovered 18 fumbles and recorded 39 sacks. Romanowski was a pro bowl selection twice, in 1996 and 1998.

Romanowski has been involved in numerous altercations with both teammates and opponents. In 1989, while with the 49ers, he brawled with offensive tackle Harris Barton after Barton had taken exception to a hit Romanowski had made on wide receiver Jerry Rice during a practice session. In 1995, while with the Eagles, he was ejected from a game — and subsequently fined $4,500 — for kicking Arizona Cardinals running back Larry Centers in the head. Three more incidents occurred during the 1997 season while he played for the Broncos: In the first, he was fined $20,000 after his hit on then-Carolina Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins in a preseason game resulting in Collins sustaining a broken jaw; in the second, Romanowski spat in the face of 49ers wide receiver J.J. Stokes in a regular-season game played in December on a Monday night; and in the third — in the AFC Championship game — Romanowski almost precipitated a full-scale brawl after he taunted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart following an interception Stewart had thrown in the third quarter of the game, won by Denver. Two years later, while still with the Broncos, he was fined a total of $42,500 for three illegal hits plus a punch thrown at Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez, and was also fined an undisclosed amount for throwing a football at Bryan Cox of the New York Jets, the ball hitting him in the crotch area.

Drug charges

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In August of 2000, Romanowski was indicted by a grand jury in Denver for allegedly obtaining phentermine, a diet drug with stimulant properties, under false pretenses; he was later acquitted of this charge, but during the trial he made statements to the media many regarded as being racially insensitive. Another on-the-field incident, resulting in a $7,500 fine, followed in 2001. He was also linked to drug use in the novel Game of Shadows.

Lawsuit by Marcus Williams

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On August 24, 2003, as a member of the Raiders, Romanowski punched backup tight end Marcus Williams in the face during a preseason scrimmage; Williams sustained a broken eye socket and was ultimately forced to retire, leading to Williams filing a civil lawsuit against Romanowski, seeking $3.8 million in damages. Following a three-week trial, a jury awarded Williams $340,000 in compensatory damages on March 22, 2005.

After the NFL

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Bill Romanowski was featured in the 2005 remake The Longest Yard starring Adam Sandler.

Romanowski has also been linked to the BALCO steroid scandal, and in an interview with Scott Pelley that aired on CBS-TV's 60 Minutes on October 16, 2005, he adamantly denied using steroids during the last three years of his NFL career. Skeptics dispute this claim for obvious reasons. Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino called Romanowski "sad" regarding his admittance. In the same interview, Romanowski also acknowledged that once intentionally broke the finger of New York Giants running back Dave Meggett during a pile up. He said that at the time of the action, he had no regrets about injuring an opponent in that way, though at the time of his interview, looking at the incident in retrospect, he felt that what he had done was "awful".

Romanowski published an autobiography, Romo: My Life on the Edge, co-written with writer/ broadcaster Adam Schefter and Phil Towle, in 2005.

Personal

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• Musical Interests: The Beatles, Elton John, John Denver.
• College: Boston College.
• Seasons in the NFL: 16 Years.

1966 births | Living people | American football linebackers | People from Connecticut | Oakland Raiders players | The NFL on FOX | San Francisco 49ers players | Denver Broncos players | Philadelphia Eagles players | Boston College Eagles football players | AFC Pro Bowl players | Polish-Americans | Drugs in sport