- 1992 Outland Trophy Winner
One of a long line of outstanding offensive linemen at Nebraska, Will Shields became the fifth Husker to win the Outland Trophy, capturing the prestigious award following the 1992 season.
A consensus All-American and a Lombardi Award semifinalist as a senior, Shields helped the Huskers win national team rushing titles in three of his four seasons at Nebraska (1989, 1991 and 1992). NU's first scholarship player from the state of Oklahoma, Shields is one of only six Husker linemen to earn all-conference honors for three straight seasons.
Shields' No. 75 was retired at the 1994 Spring Game, along with Butkus Award winner Trev Alberts' No. 34 and the No. 75 jersey of former Outland Trophy winner Larry Jacobson. The ceremony marked the first time that three jerseys were retired at the same time.
As a senior, Shields received votes for Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and earned All-America honors from Kodak, AP, UPI, Walter Camp and Football News.
During his junior campaign, he was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Eight team and a second-team All-American, helping the Huskers rank first in the conference in rushing offense and total offense.
Shields became the second offensive lineman to play as a true freshman in 1989, appearing in nine games. In his second year, Shields became the first sophomore lineman since College Football Hall of Famer Dave Rimington to earn first-team all-conference honors for NU, helping the Huskers lead the Big Eight in scoring, rushing and total offense.
Following his collegiate career, Shields was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He is entering his 14th season as one of the NFL's top offensive linemen. Shields has earned a spot in 10 Pro Bowls and has started 207 straight games in his brilliant professional career.
Shields is also one of the most active volunteers and community leaders in the NFL. He is the co-founder of the Will to Succeed Foundation with his wife, Senia. The foundation was organized to guide, inspire and improve the lives of abused and neglected women and children.
For his remarkable work with charitable and community organizations, Shields was named the NFL Man of the Year in 2003.