Fred Willis, a running back for the Bengals and Oilers who spent six seasons in the NFL, has died at the age of 75.
An obituary published by Willis’s family said that he is survived by his wife, five children, two stepchildren and nine grandchildren.
Willis grew up in Massachusetts and set New England high school records for touchdowns scored. He then went to Boston College, where he was the first player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, and he also played on Boston College’s hockey team.
A fourth-round pick of the Bengals in the 1971 NFL draft, Willis was traded to the Oilers during the 1972 season.
In Willis’s first full season as an Oiler, 1973, he had his best year. He started all 14 games, ran for 579 yards, and also caught 57 passes for 371 yards. His 57 catches ranked third in the NFL that year.
After retiring in 1977, Willis became active in causes related to helping retired players who had suffered brain injuries during their playing days.