Willie Gault

Football player Willie Gault was born on September 5, 1960 in Griffin, Georgia, to Willie Mae Gault and James Gault, Jr. He graduated from Griffin High School in 1978, where he excelled in both football and track and field, earning all-state honors during his junior and senior seasons. Gault attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville from 1979 to 1982, where he was a standout athlete on both the football and track teams, earning All-American honors during his senior year. In 1980, Gault qualified for the United States Olympic Track and Field Team, and three years later, he placed third in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

In 1983, Gault was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he earned a reputation as one of the fastest players in league history. With the Bears, Gault became known for his performance as a wide receiver and kick returner. In 1986, he helped lead the team to victory in Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots. Over his eleven-season career, Gault recorded 333 receptions for 6,635 yards and scored forty-four touchdowns. During his time with the Chicago Bears, he helped create the hit rap song Superbowl Shuffle, which was released seven weeks before the 1986 Chicago Bears championship.

In 1988, Gault was named an alternate member of the United States Olympic Bobsled Team and was also traded to the Los Angeles Raiders, where he played until his retirement from the NFL in 1993.

Following his retirement from professional football, Gault pursued acting, appearing in television series such as Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide and The Pretender. He later joined the board of directors of Heart Tronics, Inc., a medical device company.

During his career, Gault received numerous honors recognizing his contributions to sports. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his participation in the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team boycott and was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2022.

Gault has two children, Shakari Gault-Okwudibonye and Gabriel Gault with his with his ex-wife, Dainnese Mathis Gault. He lives in Encino, California.

Willie Gault was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on September 17, 2024.