Eagles Finally Release Former First-Rounder in Bizarre Roster Move

The Philadelphia Eagles have been busy this week getting ready for their big Super Bowl rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. That includes making sure their roster is locked and loaded for this primetime matchup.

Maybe that's what finally spurred the Eagles to make a bizarre roster move on Thursday that's been decades in the making.

Eagles Roster Move

On Thursday, Philadelphia finally released a player who hasn't played for them in nearly 30 years -- former first-round draft pick Bernard Williams.

Williams, now 51, was taken by the Eagles out of Georgia with the 14th overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft -- before many of Philadelphia's players were even born. The left tackle started all 16 games for the Eagles that year, helping them go 7-9 and being named to the NFL's All-Rookie team.

Unfortunately for Williams, he never played in the NFL again after that. He tested positive for marijuana multiple times and was suspended from the league after his rookie season. He never applied for reinstatement and continued his football career in the XFL, AFL and CFL, playing his last professional game in 2006.

It was a disappointing outcome for Williams, who flashed a ton of potential and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him in the NFL. The 6'8, 317-pounder appeared ready to anchor Philadelphia's offensive line for years to come, but it wasn't meant to be.

On Thursday, his NFL career officially came to a close when the Eagles finally waived him from its reserve-suspended last. The team had never released him after he was initially suspended (keeping the door open for his return) and apparently forgot to do so at any point in the last 29 years.

Until now.

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