Professional career Patrick Willis

1 professional career

1.1 2007 season
1.2 2008 season
1.3 2009 season
1.4 2010 season
1.5 2011 season
1.6 2012 season
1.7 2013 season
1.8 2014 season

professional career

originally regarded late-first early-second round draft pick, willis improved draft stock impressive performance @ nfl combine; 4.51 40-yard dash 1 of fastest among linebackers. posted 39-inch vertical jump , recorded 22 repetitions of 225-lb. bench press. willis clocked in @ 4.38 seconds 40-yard dash during university of mississippi pro-day workout. analysts of sporting news compared him jeremiah trotter. willis earned south team defensive mvp honors @ 2007 senior bowl.

willis selected san francisco 49ers in first round 11th overall pick in 2007 nfl draft, re-uniting him staff coached south squad @ 2007 senior bowl. signed seven-year, $53.51 million contract 49ers in 2010 season.

2007 season


nfl hall of famer mike singletary, referring ray lewis , patrick willis.

willis coached directly hall of fame middle-linebacker/coach mike singletary (who later became 49ers head coach), , started @ inside linebacker, mike position, in 49ers 3-4 defense. in first nfl game, willis recorded 11 tackles, including 9 solo, , forced fumble 49ers defeated arizona cardinals in dramatic fashion score of 20–17. effort, won diet pepsi rookie of week award. 1 of willis s strongest performances came against minnesota vikings, led 49ers defense in containing offensive rookie of year, adrian peterson, managed 3 yards on 14 carries. willis s impressive statistical performance came in week 16 @ home against tampa bay buccaneers. in game recorded 20 total tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble , 1 pass deflected in 21–19 victory, earning rookie of week honors fourth time. in addition receiving award in weeks 1 , 16, willis took home award in weeks 2 , 12. awarded gmc defensive player of week twice.

in game against arizona cardinals on november 25, willis ran down wide receiver sean morey after 62-yard, catch-and-run game-saving tackle in overtime. niners won 37–31.

willis finished 2007 campaign nfl-leading 174 total tackles, along 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, , 5 passes deflected. according 49ers, however, unofficially credited on 200 tackles during season. result, willis 1 of 2 49ers selected pro bowl along punter andy lee. other honors earned @ conclusion of first professional season included being named ap nfl defensive rookie of year, first-team all-pro, , nfl alumni linebacker of year. rookie in nfl make ap all-pro squad , first defensive rookie 49ers make pro bowl since ronnie lott in 1981. season capped being named 1 of espn magazine s next athletes of 2008, alongside yankee joba chamberlain , trail blazer brandon roy.

2008 season

willis in october 2008

in second nfl season willis scored first career nfl touchdown against seattle, returning interception 86 yards. on december 16, during dominating season 49ers, willis named starting inside linebacker nfc pro bowl team. in 2 seasons, established himself 1 of top linebackers in nfl.

at end of year, willis finished second in tackles , voted second consecutive pro bowl, time starter. voted second-team all-pro, barely missing first team jon beason of carolina panthers collected 1 more vote willis.

2009 season

patrick willis started season strong in opener against arizona cardinals. recorded 14 tackles , interception in 20–16 win in arizona. had huge game in week 4 against st. louis finishing 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks , interception return 23-yard touchdown.

the biggest improvement in game previous year increased sideline-to-sideline range. willis made 54 tackles on plays labeled wide left or wide right accounted 35.5% of total tackles. in area, led inside linebackers large margin. league leader in impact plays total of 27.

at end of year, willis accumulated nfl-leading 152 tackles along 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 8 pass deflections , 3 interceptions. has led league in tackles in 2 of first 3 seasons. willis earned first-team all-pro receiving 49/50 votes ap , voted third consecutive pro bowl. however, shortly before pro bowl, set in south florida, willis decided play safe , opted not play due leg injury sustained. stayed in south florida game , stood on sideline in support of nfc team , 49er teammates frank gore, vernon davis, justin smith , andy lee.

willis named 2009 nfl alumni linebacker of year, award voted on past nfl linebackers. willis became second nfl player win butkus award since expanded in 2008 include high school , professional winners in part end anabolic steroid abuse among young athletes.

2010 season

on may 4, willis signed five-year contract extension worth $50 million, $29 million in guaranteed money making him highest paid inside linebacker in nfl.

in 2010, willis strengthened dimension of game, totaling career-high 6.0 sacks. played through season several injuries, playing game against san diego chargers cast on broken hand. willis ruled out week 17 after undergoing second surgery on broken right hand. first time willis had ever missed game in career. willis had made habit of making pro bowl. had gone 4 seasons of nfl career , tackle numbers down (largely due offenses scheming against him), willis still finished second-most fan votes inside linebackers in entire nfl. joins hall of fame safety ronnie lott 49ers selected pro bowl in each of first 4 seasons.

willis earned first-team all-pro associated press alongside jerod mayo of new england patriots. third time in career, , second year in row, named linebacker of year nfl alumni association.

2011 season

before start of 2011 season, patrick willis ran away field in voting nfl s best linebacker on espn.com. nobody in nfl plays position better patrick willis, , saying lot, said matt williamson of scouts inc. linebacker peyton manning quarterback, andre johnson receiver, adrian peterson running back. has no weaknesses. 12-time pro bowler ray lewis, dominant linebacker of era, pointed willis worthy successor undisputed reign. espn s dana jacobson asked lewis young linebacker reminded him of himself. love way plays game, lewis said. plays game fire. reminds me of myself—a lot, lot, lot. willis came in fourth in espn expert vote nfl s 10 best defensive players, finishing behind 2010 ap nfl defensive player of year troy polamalu, demarcus ware, , darrelle revis. also, when voted no. 10 players of 2012 (2011 season), ray rice , commentators noted resemblance in playing style , techniques willis lewis 10 years ago

in 2011, willis led top ranked 49ers defense set nfl single season record of not allowing rushing touchdown until week 16. previous record held 1920 decatur staleys, did not allow rushing touchdown in 13-game season. 49ers stingy defense ranked fourth overall , played huge role in 49ers finishing 13–3 record. marked first time since 2002 49ers division champs , in playoffs.

during game against st. louis rams in week 13, willis landed awkwardly after missing tackle , injured right hamstring. despite missing 4 games due hamstring injury, willis finished season 97 tackles along 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 12 pass deflections , interception. improved game in coverage recording career-high 12 pass deflections. willis named fifth consecutive pro bowl , becomes first player in franchise history make 5 pro bowl appearances start career. in addition, earned first-team all-pro associated press third consecutive year.

2012 season

during 2012 season, willis had 120 combined tackles, 2 forced fumbles (one recovery), 2 interceptions, 9 passes defended, , 0.5 sacks. led 49ers postseason second straight year. willis recorded ten combined tackles 49ers lost super bowl xlvii baltimore ravens. willis had 29 combined tackles , sack during 2012 postseason.

2013 season

on august 5, 2013, willis underwent surgery repair fractured hand suffered during training camp. started first 3 games of season, had groin injury in week 3. miss next 2 games. however, in game against atlanta falcons, recorded 18 tackles. ended 2013 season 104 tackles.

2014 season

willis played in 6 games of 2014 season hampered nagging toe injury. made decision end season on november 11 , undergo season-ending surgery on nagging left big toe, bothered him several previous seasons. 49ers placed willis on injured reserve list after surgery.

after struggling toe injury kept willis sidelined of 2014, announced retirement on march 10, 2015.