Personal
- Flint, Michigan is where Brent Williams grew up as well as former NFL players Carl Banks and Lonnie Young, three guys who played in the NFL for at least 11 years and more importantly, found sports as a way out.
- Still, sports weren’t Brent’s No. 1 priority growing up. His mother’s influence made that his class work, and as a result, Brent was accepted into the National Honor Society as a sophomore, a distinction normally not granted to eligible high school students until their junior year.
- From high school, it was on to the University of Toledo where Brent of course played football and majored in Business Administration, concentrating in Marketing.
- In 1986, Brent was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round and spent eight seasons in New England as a nose tackle and defensive end. He played two more years in Seattle and finished his career in 1996 with the Jets.
- The NFL prepared Bent for life after football in more ways than one. Besides the lessons of teamwork, leadership and dedication that playing professional sports naturally offer, Brent took part in the NFL Internship program while still in the league.
- There he was able to gain experience working with companies during the off season in a career path of interest.
Brent chose finance and worked with Smith Barney for three years. - “You’re never really ready for football to end,” says Brent, but when it did, the experience he gained through the internship made him as ready as he could be as his current position as Vice President for Merrill Lynch’s Wealth Management Division indicates.
- In addition, Brent will soon become a financial advisor to the current Patriots players. In that role he will hold seminars for players so that they can plan their financial future for the day when they, too, have to leave football behind.
- In addition to his work at Merrill Lynch, Brent is on the board of directors of the Easton, Mass. Pop Warner league as well as the Urban League in that area. He has a keen interest in youth sports and feels from his knowledge of the financial world to his life as a Christian, he has a lot to offer any group willing to lend an ear.
- Brent and his wife Jacquie have three children, Brennan, 11, Camren, 8 and Jaylen 5.
College
- Selected All-Mid American Conference as both a junior and senior
- As a senior, had second best total tackles on team with 101 tackles (48 solos) and had seven sacks (15 sacks in his career)
- As a junior, made 84 tackles, including 11 for losses (for 37 yards); caused two fumbles, recovered one and tipped one pass
- Played every quarter of sophomore, junior and senior seasons
- Team went to California Bowl his junior year (lost to Nevada-Las Vegas)
- As a sophomore in 1983, had 40 tackles (17 solos) and four sacks (22 yards) and made two other tackles behind the line of scrimmage (for five yards); recovered one fumble and caused another.