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At the age of 75, Fred Willis, a former running back who played in six NFL seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Oilers passed away on July 4.
Willis will be missed by his wife, five children, two stepchildren and nine grandchildren, according to a tribute written and shared online by his family.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Adelaide's Church in Peabody at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12, following services at the Conway-Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home in Peabody.
After his time playing football, Willis became an acclaimed restaurateur who opened a number of eateries both at home and abroad. As the founder, president and CEO of HPN Neurologic as well as the executive director of NFL Player Brains Matter, he also gave back to the game by advocating for NFL players who were experiencing CTE signs.
HPN was started by Willis in April 2017. In relation to his involvement with NFL Player Brains Matter, he was instructed by a federal judge to stop sending inappropriate communications to other players. In 2019, he switched and established NeuroSport Concussion.
Where did Fred Willis play college football?
Massachusetts-born Fred Willis established New England high school marks for touchdowns tallied. He later played for Boston College, where he became the first player to ever run for 1,000 yards in a single season and played on the school's hockey team.
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Willis with the 93rd overall choice in the fourth round of the 1971 NFL Draft. In each of his six seasons in the NFL, he recorded comparable numbers. But in 1971, his rookie season, when he started six of the 14 games at fullback and rushed for 593 yards on 135 attempts, he set a career high with seven scores. In addition, he recorded 24 catches for 223 yards.
Willis played with the Houston Oilers in his final season in the league in 1976. He started 12 of his 13 games, amassed 542 yards in 148 attempts, two scores and 32 catches for 255 yards.
During his career, he racked up 2,831 yards and 18 running touchdowns, and he also added 203 catches for 1,380 yards and an additional five scores.
Fred Willis was admitted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1977 after finishing his career as a player.
